New Beginnings
by banana.x.phone
Summary: Sheldon wins his Nobel Prize. Penny comes back to Pasadena to congratulate and celebrate. Everything has changed, was it for the better? Post Season 5, AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello all!**

**Here I go again. Seriously,if I could turn my brain off I would. This story is going to be posted at a slower pace, this semester is really asking a lot from me. I'll try to post once a week. Reviews are appreciated and welcomed. To readers old and new, welcome.  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

After cleaning up table forty-six, Penny was ready to go home. She had just served a table of eight adults and seven children. She silently cleaned the spilled juice, broken crayons, mint wrappers and dessert plates while listening to the chatter around her. It was like she was some sort of robot, which was running low on batteries. After she reset the tables and moved her section back to normal, she walked toward the front of the restaurant. Her patrons decided to pay at the till and she was hoping they left behind a good tip, their bill had _only_ come out to $256.48. Penny slapped a smile on her face and approached the hostess.

"Hey, Cassidy. How's your Saturday going so far?" She unenthusiastically asked. Cassidy smiled and pushed her blonde bangs out of her face. She was only sixteen, but Penny admired her work ethic and customer service skills. She rearranged the menus and cleaned up the table map on the podium that she stood behind.

"I'm alright, table forty-six left you a pretty nice tip." She said with a smile. Penny returned her sunny disposition and watched as she jotted down which tables were open and which were occupied with a white board marker. The chemical scent was thick in the air, but it was a smell that Penny had come to be familiar with, even enjoyed a little. It reminded her of Leonard.

"How much did they leave?" Penny asked as she pressed her back to the wall and looked at her nails. Cassidy smirked and capped her marker.

"They left you a dead President who happens to go by the name of Benjamin Franklin." Cassidy smoothly replied. Penny opened her mouth to speak, she was shocked.

"Seriously? A hundred bucks?!" Penny questioned. Cassidy nodded with a smile.

"Well, that made my day insanely better. I'm open if you want to give me a few more tables." Penny told her. Just as she finished speaking her manager came around the corner, looking like he was on a mission.

"Penny, you're cut. Go home." He quickly said before he looked at the table map and hurried toward the back of the restaurant. Penny looked at her co-worker and shrugged.

"I'm not working tomorrow, so I guess I'll see you next weekend." Penny said as she walked toward the bar. She always liked to cash out there, it was more quiet and plus John was working. No one messed with him because he had a slight mob-like look to him.

After Penny cashed out, she picked up her stuff from her locker and walked toward her car. It was the end of summer and it was starting to cool down. She threw on her sweater and breathed in the fresh air. She always loved fall back home, the air was different there, it was crisp and refreshing. It was cool against her skin but the sun was still warm enough to beat down on her. Not here. It was just less hot. Penny pursed her lips together and checked her phone before getting into her car. It was 2:30, Penny had been at work since 10:00. She had one new voicemail, and a missed text from Leonard. She quickly looked at Leonard's text. It was sent at 10:30 am.

_Miss you._

Penny rolled her eyes, sometimes he could be so needy. Who was she to complain though? She had practically begged him to move in with her. She let out an audible sigh and called her voice mail.

"You have one new voicemail. To check voicemail, press.." Penny cut off the automated voice by pressing one.

"Hi Penny, this is Melody from American Globe Theatre in New York. We were sent your resume and headshots by your agent, if you could call us back that would be greatly appreciated." Penny's heart pounded in her ears as she listened to the voicemail end. She wasn't sure what to think.

New York, the place where things happened. Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by the automated voice asking her what she would like to do with the message. Penny quickly ended the call and called back the only New York number in her recent call list. The phone rang and she waited. Her stomach filled with nervous tension and she felt her palms become clammy. She silently scolded herself for not having better control.

"Hello?" The voice on the other line greeted.

"Hi, I'm looking to speak with Melody." Penny responded. She unlocked her car and quickly sat in the driver's seat.

"This is Melody, may I ask who's speaking?" The woman replied.

"Oh good, this is Penny. You left me a voicemail earlier today and I'm just returning your call." Penny told her.

"Right, Penny! We received your resume from your agent and we wanted to offer you a position with our theatre company. Mostly, we produce contemporary work and revivals. We are located in New York though, so you would have to relocate." Melody explained. Penny's breathing seized for a moment. She would have to move to New York. She bit at her lip and thought about her reply.

"Melody, I am going to have to think about it. Would you be able to email me an offer letter, so I can look over the terms?" Penny asked.

"Of course! If you could get back to me as soon as possible though, that would be great." Melody stated. Penny liked the general cheerfulness of her voice. It put her at ease, maybe it even got her a little bit excited.

"Thanks Melody. I look forward to looking it over." Penny said as she turned on her ignition. The women said good bye and Penny raced home. She felt excited and apprehensive at the same time. This was an opportunity that could turn her life around. It could be a break for her career. How would Leonard respond? She hoped that he would be supportive. Maybe he could even get a job at one of the universities in New York. Her brain was on driving autopilot and before she knew it she was parked outside of her apartment building. The same building that she had lived in for the past five years. This was home, it was comfortable, but in all of the five years she lived here, what did she have to show for it?

Penny trudged up the stairs, hoping that Leonard wasn't home. She didn't really want to talk about the opportunity that presented itself to her. She liked comfortable, but at what cost was she willing to stay in her little cocoon of failure? She twisted her doorknob and the door effortlessly opened. Leonard was sitting on the teal couch in their living room watching Babylon 5. Penny hated that show. She walked in and closed the door behind her, setting her things on the bookshelf beside the front door.

"Hey!" Leonard chimed. Penny half smiled at him while she sat on the couch. He picked up her legs and mindlessly rubbed her calves. Penny relaxed into his touch and watched the stupid show he had been watching.

"How was your day?" He asked. Penny smiled and looked up into his face. He half paid attention to the television and half paid attention to her.

"It was alright, I got cut early, but I made $150 in tips today so that was good." Penny half-heartedly replied. Leonard smiled and grasped her hand into his. They silently watched his show. Penny couldn't get this job off her mind. She remembered when she moved to Pasadena. It was terrifying, it was even more terrifying when she moved out of Kurt's apartment and into her own. Though it was terrifying, it was also liberating. She was able to make it on her own and do what she wanted.

"Leonard, I have to talk to you about something." Penny started as she shifted her gaze from the TV to her boyfriend's face. It looked stricken with worry. Penny smiled and gripped his hand in hers a little tighter as she swung her legs off of his lap and pressed her feet firmly to the floor.

"Like 'We have to talk because you're such an interesting guy', or 'We have to talk because you're in trouble'?" Leonard skeptically asked while furrowing his brows at her. Penny licked at her lips, suddenly wishing that she hadn't said anything.

"Leonard, I got a job offer today. It's with a theatre group." Penny started cautiously. It was easy to get into an argument with Leonard, and she was determined to not let that happen. Leonard's face softened and a grin broke out onto his face. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"Penny, that's great!" He exclaimed as he pulled away to look into her face. She softly smiled and he chastely kissed her lips. Penny looked away and thought about the second part of the conversation.

"The thing is, that it's not in Pasadena." Penny offered. Leonard pursed his lips together and shrugged.

"So you'll have to commute to L.A., that's no big deal. We can make that work." Leonard assured her. Penny took in a deep breath and exhaled softly through her nose. She took his hand back into hers and squeezed it gently.

"Sweetie, it's in New York." She confessed. Leonard's face drained of color and it looked like he had just been punched in the stomach. Penny watched his face as he searched his brain for the words to say.

"Come again?" He finally managed to say. Penny cleared her throat and licked her lips.

"I got a job offer today for a theatre group in New York." Penny restated. Leonard searched her face and opened his mouth to speak.

"So what are you saying exactly?" He quietly asked. Penny sighed.

"I don't know, Leonard. What do you think about it? I mean we could both go to New York and you could get a job at a university there, this is a really good opportunity for me and it could be really good for you too." Penny reasoned. Leonard furrowed his brow again. It was coming, she could feel it.

"Penny, my life is here, my friends are here, you're here, my works here. Why would I want to go to New York?" He asked, sounding hurt. Penny felt her defenses go up. She swallowed at the lump that had formed in her throat.

"I know-" Penny started.

"Then why are you asking?" Leonard interrupted. Penny felt her stomach twist into knots.

"I'm bringing it up because it's a good opportunity for me and I was kind of hoping that you would be supportive. What do I have here? I have a shitty waitressing job." Penny argued, slightly raising her voice. Leonard let go of her hand and defensively crossed his arms across his chest.

"You have me, and you have friends here and something is bound to come along for you Penny." He snidely shot back. Penny balled her fists and tried to manage her breathing.

"Something has come along. It just isn't here." Penny said, her eyes shined with unspent tears and her lip softly quivered. She didn't understand why he was being so defensive. She quickly stood up, picked up her purse and walked toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Leonard asked, annoyance colored his voice. It was like he was talking to Sheldon. She hated the way he talked to him sometimes.

"Why do you ask Leonard? Are you going to tell me that it's a bad idea, and that my place in life is to be by your side, obediently waiting for my next command?!" She shrieked and marched out the door slamming it behind her. Tears splashed onto her cheeks as she ran down the stairs, not knowing what she was going to do.

"Penny, wait!" Leonard called behind her. Penny told herself to keep her head down and keep going. She pushed past the front door to the building and got into her car. As she drove away, she saw him in her rear view mirror rushing out onto the sidewalk. Penny let out a sob that was trapped in her throat. As she drove, she cried. She felt sick to her stomach and her nerves were shot. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she ran a red light.

Before she knew where she was going, she pulled up in front of a familiar building. Her phone rang in her purse, but she ignored it as she turned the car off and got out. She walked into the building and pressed the button for the elevator. Her phone rang in her purse again and she quickly fished it out, turning it off.

The elevator opened and Penny got in, hitting the button to the seventh floor. The soft hum of the elevator filled her ears as she wiped away the tears that streaked her face. Penny sniffled and wiped her nose on the sleeve of her sweater. What the hell just happened? The elevator stopped and the door opened. Penny quickly got out and walked toward apartment 732. She quietly knocked on the door and waited. When it opened, she flung herself at Amy.

"I'm so glad you're home!" Penny cried as she began sobbing into her soft brown hair. Amy slowly backed up into her apartment with Penny firmly attached to her and closed the door behind them. Penny hugged her friend tightly as Amy brushed her fingers through Penny's long blonde hair and guided them to her couch.

"Penny, what happened?" Amy softly asked as Penny silently cried on her shoulder. Penny released Amy from her grasp and plucked a tissue from the coffee table to blow her nose. She wiped at her face and deeply inhaled and exhaled.

"I had a huge fight with Leonard, I don't think I can go home." Penny whispered. She held her hands in her lap to keep them from shaking. Amy patted her friend's thigh and got up to make them some tea. As she returned from putting the kettle on the stove, she picked up Penny's hands into her and softly rubbed the back of her hands with her thumbs.

"Spill it, Bestie." Amy coaxed. Penny looked up toward the ceiling to stop the tears from flowing again. She sighed and looked into Amy's piercing blue eyes. Penny smiled and took her hands from Amy's and rested them in her lap once more.

"I got a job offer, it's in New York. I don't know what to do." Penny said as she looked toward the floor. Amy smiled at her friend and patted her hand.

"That is wonderful, however, I can see the predicament you've encountered." Amy said with a puzzled expression.

"I just don't know if I'll get another chance like this." Penny confessed. Amy nodded.

"I think that if it's something you want, you have to take it, like when Queen Victoria took India." Amy offered. Penny smiled. Oh how right her friend could be sometimes. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and she would be foolish not to take advantage of it. Leonard or no Leonard, she was going to consider taking the job.

"Amy can I stay here for a few days?" Penny asked. Amy smiled and nodded.

"As long as you like, Bestie." Amy replied. The kettle whistled and Amy got up to make her friend a hot beverage.


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright! Thank you all for following and reviewing and favouriting! It really does mean a lot to hear feedback on my work. This week has been crazy, but without further delay... Chapter 2!**

**Enjoy!**

The sun poked its head out from behind the New York skyline into Penny's bedroom window. She rustled in bed and felt the mattress beside her. Empty. The sound of the shower filled her ears as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. It was Friday, she glanced at the clock it, was 7:30 in the morning. Today she was leaving for Pasadena for the weekend, well until Tuesday. A week ago, she had gotten an invitation in the mail from Caltech. They were throwing a party for Sheldon Cooper, Dr. Whack-a-Doodle. He had finally gotten his Nobel Prize. Penny couldn't _not_ go.

_Meow._

Penny looked down to the floor and saw her grey tabby cat, George asking for his breakfast. She smiled and quickly scooped him up, giving him a few scratches on the head before setting him down and getting out of the coziness of her bed. She pulled on her robe, stepped into her slippers and walked toward the window. It had snowed last night. The city was covered in a thick white blanket.

Penny missed the snow when she lived in California, but since this was her third winter in New York, the snow was getting old. She nuzzled into her robe and stared out at the city. When the sun hit the snow on the buildings, it sparkled. Penny smiled to herself. She didn't even hear the shower turn off before a strong set of arms wrapped around her middle.

"Good morning, Beautiful." The man holding her said. His voice was deep and thick, like a luxurious piece of velvet. Penny smiled and turned her head toward him pressing her lips against his. She quickly turned around and admired the man who was in her shower, standing before her in one of her hot pink towels. He was tall, blonde and gorgeous. His body was hard and sculpted, just how Penny liked them. That and it was hard to find a physicist in New York.

"Good morning, Handsome." Penny chimed. Her fingers traveled down his soft skin and gripped at his towel. Her lips found his and she kissed him as she let the heavy fabric fall to the floor. He tugged at her robe, exposing her breast. Penny sighed into his mouth as his hand gently caressed her and tweaked her nipple. His mouth left hers and attached itself to the waiting swell of her chest. Penny gasped when his hot mouth covered her hard nipple.

"Why do you have to leave for the weekend? Can't you just send a card?" He asked in between kisses that traveled across her breast toward her neck. Penny sighed and let him wash over her.

"Derek, I have to go. He's my friend and it would be rude not to go." Penny rushed to explain. Derek stopped and looked into her face. Penny watched as his blue eyes dart across her features. He quickly smiled and kissed her lips.

"Well, if you have to go, consider this a preamble for when you come home on Tuesday." He said with a wink. Penny huffed, she would have to take care of herself before she left for her flight. Derek quickly glanced at Penny's alarm clock.

"I have to go, I have to be in court at 9:00 and I can't wear the same suit as I did yesterday." Penny smiled at her lawyer boyfriend. They had only been seeing each other for a month, but she felt something. Well, she thought she felt something. Maybe it was his good looks and the sex. Maybe it was more. She watched as he put on his clothes from yesterday and walked toward her front door. She waved at him and then he was gone.

_Meow._

Penny looked down at George. He was always so patient with her. She smiled and walked into the kitchen retrieving his kibble from the cupboard. She filled up the dish really full, the neighbor had agreed to come in and check on her cat for a small price of $50.

"There you go, Little Butt." Penny said in a sing song voice as she put away the cat food. She walked across her apartment and let out a sigh. She hadn't seen any of them for three years. Well, that's not true. She Skyped with Amy every three months or so. It wasn't the only window she hadn't closed to her old life. She also sent emails to Sheldon, sometimes he replied, sometimes he didn't. It was understandable that he had buried himself with work for the past three years. He had to.

Penny stepped into the shower and let the warm water rush over her. It was going to be like stepping into an alternate universe. Things were very different than before. Amy was in a long term relationship. She had become "unavailable" a year and a half ago. Leonard was also in a long term relationship. With Amy. They got together after Sheldon decided that his work was more important than his relationship with Amy.

Howard and Bernadette were still married, they had a toddler and one was on the way. Penny smirked, she wondered how Howard convinced Bernadette to bear his children. Raj had gone back to India. His parents arranged a marriage for him as they were tired of telling people "He's not gay." Amy had mentioned last week when Penny had briefly spoken to her that Raj was supposed to be coming in for the weekend too. It would be interesting to meet his wife. Penny wondered how someone could be married to someone else if they couldn't speak to them.

Her thoughts shifted to her own life as she shampooed her hair. It was only three years ago that she decided to move to New York. It paid off big. She started with the small theatre company and after a year was recruited to play a minor role in Wicked. Penny's career was growing and she was now an understudy to the lead actress in a new Broadway musical called Burn. Penny was also writing her own play, not a musical, just a play. It was just an idea that had been with her for some time.

It was called Big Bang and it was based on her life in Pasadena. Paige was the main character, a girl from middle America following her dream to be an actress, only to find love instead. The rest of the cast is a group of nerdy scientists who taught her a thing or two about life. Spencer was loosely based on Sheldon and was the male lead, Leo was based on Leonard, Edward was based on Howard and Rasheed was based on Raj. It was something that she needed to get out. After a little bit of internal struggle she decided to pair Paige with Spencer for two reasons. One, Leonard ripped her heart out and two, she was always curious about Sheldon.

Penny finished up in the shower, fixed her hair and makeup and packed. She kissed her cat on the head and left her apartment for the weekend. Penny hailed a cab and was taken to the airport. After going through security, she waited for her flight to arrive. She checked her phone and email. She had one unread message from Amy Farrah Fowler-Hofstadter. Penny opened the email and began to read.

_From: affowler  
Date: 08:04 am, December 16, 2015  
To: pennyblossom  
Subject: Dinner tonight?_

_Hello Penny, _

_I understand that your flight arrives at 5:45 pm, I was hoping that you would be available for dinner. It would be wonderful to see you and catch up in person. Please let me know so I can arrange a reservation._

_-Amy_

Penny quickly hit the reply button.

_Hi Amy,_

_I would love to have dinner. Let's say 6:30. Anywhere but the cheesecake factory. ;)_

_-P_

Penny hit the send button just as she was being called to board her flight. She settled into the window seat and pulled out a pad of paper and a pen from her purse. She jotted ideas down for her play as they came to her. She was trying to work out when Paige figured out she was in love with Spencer. Penny snorted. This was going to be harder than she thought. She thought about Sheldon and his crazy ways. Writing wasn't working for her, maybe she would get some inspiration after the weekend was over. Instead, she would just sleep. She pulled out her iPod and put away her writing materials. While listening to the smooth vocal styling of Justin Timberlake, circa: bringing sexy back, she drifted off to sleep.

The flight was over sooner than she thought, or maybe she was more tired than she had anticipated. Penny got off the plane and checked her email. Amy set up reservations at Olive Garden. Penny quickly dealt with the car rental paperwork and soon she was driving down the familiar streets of Pasadena. She booked a room at the Hilton near Caltech. That's where the event congratulating Sheldon was being held and Penny figured that if she got too drunk, she could stumble up to her room.

Penny drove to the hotel, checked in, and dropped off her bags before driving to the restaurant to meet Amy. Penny got out of the rental car and walked toward the restaurant. As she walked, her cognac boots clicked on the pavement. The soung of her heart pounding in her ears was putting her on edge, she was nervous. She walked past the hostess and searched the restaurant. Her eyes spotted Amy, who looked the same. She quickly rushed over to her and as Amy stood up, Penny wrapped her arms around her.

"Amy! It's so good to see you!" Penny cried as she pulled away to get a better look at Amy. Amy smiled and sat down. Penny sat down and pulled her cardigan a little tighter around herself.

"Penny you are looking beautiful as always." Amy stated with a smile. Penny looked around the restaurant and smiled at Amy. It was really good to see her. Penny grinned and grasped her left hand to inspect a sparkle that caught her eye.

"Leonard really knows how to pick jewelry!" Penny exclaimed.

"Why thank you Penny. I like to think that I have good taste." Leonard said as he unexpectedly sat down with Penny and Amy. Penny felt her heart jump into her throat. It had been years since she seen or spoken to him. Penny quietly looked him over, he looked more mature and engaged life seemed to be treating him well. It seemed that he had actually gotten more attractive.

He had grown a slight beard, not a scary arctic beard, which suited him very well. He was wearing a blazer and a nice dress shirt, not a military jacket, hoodie and ironically geeky shirt under all of those layers. It seemed as though Leonard had grown up. Penny smiled at him, she wasn't sure how she would feel once she saw him, but seeing him with his new fiancé made Penny feel good. She knew she never would have married him. Plus they looked really good together.

"So, what's new in your life, Penny?" Leonard asked, thought it didn't really sound like he was interested. Penny thought about it for a moment.

"Well, I'm writing a play. Hopefully it's good enough to really become something." Penny softly said. It was like her voice escaped her. She cleared her throat and took a sip of the water that the server had brought over. Amy had pre-ordered a bottle of wine, which Leonard was already indulging in.

"Is that like that screenplay based on your life you were writing when we first met?" Leonard sardonically asked as he swilled his wine around in his glass. Penny nearly choked on her water. Was he being serious?

"Leonard." Amy chastised. She quickly smiled at Penny. Penny silently cursed her for not preparing her for this. Penny smiled and was thankfully interrupted for a moment by the server. After their order was taken, the table was silent. Penny bit at her lip and thought about something to say to break the awkward silence, she couldn't. She could feel the resentment that hung thick in the air, like a dense fog. Penny didn't really expect any less from him.

"So, how is your work going, Leonard? What's new in the exciting field of experimental physics." Penny finally managed to get out. Leonard skeptically eyed her. A chuckle escaped his throat. Penny nervously laughed.

"Well, it's nothing compared to the exciting field of theoretical physics, I can tell you that much." Leonard said tipping his glass toward Penny. Of course he was speaking of Sheldon. Jealousy oozed from his lips when he spoke about his former roommate. Penny smiled.

"I have to go to the washroom. Excuse me." Penny mumbled. Amy stood up with her and followed her to the restroom. The door shut and Penny whirled around to face her so called friend.

"What the hell, Amy?" Penny squeaked.

"I'm sorry Penny, he insisted that he come. I didn't realize that he held any resentment toward you." Amy offered as an explanation.

"Do you know how awkward this is for me?" Penny asked trying to hold her tongue in fear of saying something that she might later regret.

"I'm sorry, I promise, he'll behave. I really do want to catch up with you." Amy apologized.

Penny nodded and made her way back out to the table. Thankfully their food had arrived, she could eat and run for it. Her and Amy sat back down and Penny unfolded the napkin and placed it in her lap.

"So Penny, are you seeing anyone?" Amy asked, ignoring her future husband. Penny smiled and stabbed at her pasta with her fork.

"Actually, I am. His name is Derek. He's an environmental lawyer. We've only been dating a month, but I really like him." Penny calmly said, looking straight at Amy. Amy smiled.

"How about you guys? What are your plans for the future? Besides the wedding." Penny asked while stuffing a forkful of ziti into her mouth.

"Well, we are planning on purchasing a house. We have been eyeing a place that came on the market a few weeks ago." Amy said with a sweet smile adorning her face. Penny beamed at the two of them. Despite Leonard's episodes of jackass-ary, he and Amy really were meant for each other.

"Congratulations! That's so exciting!" Penny exclaimed. Amy laughed.

"We've made an offer, we are just waiting to hear back from the realtor." Amy excitedly told Penny.

"Seriously, congratulations to the both of you. You two really deserve it." Penny said raising her wine glass to the pair. Dinner continued to smooth over and it was actually an enjoyable evening. As the night came to a close, Amy left for the restroom, leaving Leonard and Penny to talk amongst themselves.

"Look, Penny. I'm sorry that I was such an ass earlier. I just didn't expect you to come. When I heard that you and Amy were having dinner, I couldn't not see you and then all those years of resentment kind of got away from me. I'm really sorry." Leonard said, his voice was soft and regretful. Penny nodded and patted his hand.

"Leonard, I'm happy for you and Amy. You two actually work. I know this because when she talks about you, it's always good things. The way she talks about you… Leonard, the girl is crazy for you. I'm glad that you finally found the one." Penny said as she grabbed her purse.

After the group said their goodbyes, Penny drove back to the hotel. She got ready for bed and wished she had her cat to snuggle with. She laid in the dark thinking about the events that transpired that evening. She hoped that it wasn't going to be this hard to re-unite with everyone else.


	3. Chapter 3

**I can't thank you guys enough for the follows, reviews and favourites. As always, I love to hear what you guys are thinking, your input gives me insight to my work and makes me a better writer. If I could get a review from each of my followers that would be spectacular! I had such a terrible week last week, so to make myself feel better I give you two chapters in one week. **

**Enjoy!  
**

After spending the day shopping at an outlet mall, Penny was ready for a nap. Sheldon's event was supposed to commence in an hour and fifteen minutes. She couldn't risk sleeping through the only thing that brought her back to good 'ol Pasadena. Penny set down her shopping bags by the bed and changed into her silky robe. She fished her phone out of her purse and brought it over to the vanity. One thing she was thankful for was Sheldon's refusal to change, including his cell number. She quickly looked him up in her phone to write him a text.

_Hey, I can't wait to see you! _

Penny looked at her text and decided it was too friendly. She quickly changed the text as she sat down in front of the mirror.

_Hey! Good luck tonight :)_

Penny frowned at her changes. What did he need luck for, he already won the Nobel. She pursed her lips.

_Hey._

She quickly hit the send button before she could change it. She set down her phone on the counter and got up to begin pulling out articles of clothing from her shopping bags, she was looking for something specific. Her phone made a star wars light saber noise and she smiled to herself. She picked up her phone and read.

_Hello Penny._

She smiled at his prompt text. Her fingers flew across the touch screen.

_Are you nervous?_

Penny hit the send button and clutched the phone to her chest. She took out the dress she bought earlier today and placed it on the bed so it wouldn't wrinkle. Her phone light saber'd in her hand and she looked at the screen.

_Why would I be nervous? The hard part is over._

Penny laughed. This was a very true statement.

_It will be good to see you, Sheldon. We didn't really get a proper goodbye when I left._

Penny hit the send button, sat back down and began rolling her shoulder length hair into hot rollers. The sound of Sheldon texting her back made butterflies fill her stomach. It was true what she said, he was the only person she didn't get to say good bye to. She frowned and picked up her phone after placing the last roller in her hair.

_Penny, you know I'm not one for prolonged goodbyes and maudlin displays of emotion. I'm glad that you left the way you did. By leaving Leonard to pursue your career, you inspired me to "buckle down" and get my Nobel Prize. If it wasn't for you, we would probably be doing our laundry exchanging banal chit chat in person, neither one of us closer to our dreams. So for that, I thank you._

Penny read his novel of a text and smiled. Of course he would practically write a book on a touch screen. She licked her lips and wrote out another text.

_I can't wait to see you. It will be nice to catch up in person._

Penny hit the send button and began applying her make up. Her phone chimed and she looked at screen. This text wasn't from Sheldon. It was from Derek.

_Hey babe, work was terrible. We lost our case. I wish you were here to make me happy. ;)_

Penny read over text and quickly replied. She was still anxiously waiting to hear what Sheldon had to say.

_:(_

The phone chimed with Sheldon's text tone.

_Yes, well I have to admit, it will be nice to see a few familiar faces._

Penny smiled and ignored the text that Derek sent in response to her sad face. She continued to apply her make up. She swept a bold line of liquid eyeliner across her top lashes and put on a thick coat of mascara. She applied a hint of peachy blush to the apples of her cheeks and finished her look with a bold red lip. She smiled at her glam look as she removed the rollers from her hair and began styling it into voluminous waves.

Penny stood up and stepped out of her robe, she put on a pair of lacy black panties, a lacy garter, and clipped her stockings into her garter clips. She smiled at herself in the mirror. She looked good. As she posed for herself, she couldn't help but wonder who she was getting dressed up for. Penny frowned. It was going to be her secret, she could wear lingerie if she wanted to.

Penny stepped into her dress that she laid out on the bed, it was a ¾ length sleeve black dress with lace detailing. The skirt hit her about mid-thigh, not enough to be a slut, but enough to have men's eyes wander. The neckline was high and it hit her at the collarbone, but the back of the dress was Penny's favorite. The back of the dress was backless and was open to the small of her back, it didn't leave much to the imagination. Penny felt like a vixen. It was the first time in a while that she had actually dressed up. Penny put some cash, her hotel key and her phone into her purse, she stepped into a pair of black patent heels and headed out the door.

The hotel floor was quiet. Penny waited for the elevator to come and as she waited, she couldn't help but think about Sheldon. She wondered if he had grown a beard or if he was still that awkward man child that she had come to know. She knew how sharply he could dress, she had seen it herself. It wasn't the first time she found herself eyeing Dr. Cooper, no sir. When they first met, she had taken note of how cute he was, but in an entirely geeky way. She thought she sensed chemistry between them when they first met, but she was sadly mistaken.

The elevator doors opened and Penny's thoughts were still plagued by her former neighbor, who looked ridiculously handsome in a black suit. Her thoughts snapped back to reality for a second, as the elevator descended, toward the main floor, she was thinking about Sheldon in a romantic fashion. Penny shook her head and tried to think about something else when the doors opened. It was hard not to. She silently chastised herself as she walked toward Ballroom C.

The room was large and decorated very nicely, like an award show or something. Crystal centerpieces decorated the tables and flowing fabric cascaded form the ceiling to the walls. It was absolutely stunning. As Penny approached the table by the doors, she spotted Amy. Penny gave a quick wave and ran over to her friend. Amy was wearing a simple black dress, certainly less modest than a nun, but no more modest than Penny's grandmother. Penny quickly embraced her friend, she had to slightly bend her knees because of her heels.

"Penny, you look absolutely stunning!" Amy gushed. Penny blushed. She knew. Penny and Amy linked arms and walked toward a table that Sheldon had specifically reserved for his closest friends and treasured acquaintance. Penny approached the table and Bernadette came into view. Penny let out a small excited squeal when Bernadette caught her gaze.

"Oh my god! Penny?!" Bernadette exclaimed. Penny grinned and hugged her very pregnant friend. It was so bizarre because it felt like no time had passed. The girls pulled away from each other and took in each other's presence. Bernadette was just the same, but she was even cuter when she was pregnant. It was like she was as wide as she was tall.

"Penny, you look amazing! New York has been good to you!" Bernadette gushed. Penny grinned and placed her hand on Bernadette's stomach. The baby kicked under Penny palm and she quickly took her hand away in a fit of giggles.

"So is it a boy or girl?" Penny asked. Bernadette smiled wide.

"It's actually twins. We're surprising ourselves this time. When we had Noella, it was fun buying everything in advance, but we decided to be surprised this time." Bernadette explained. As the girls chatted more people began to flood into the room. Soon the girls were joined by Leonard, who sat down with his fiance at the table, and Howard, who couldn't help but stare at Penny. Howard looked the same, he was still a small creepy little man.

"Howard, quit staring, it's rude." Bernadette chastised. Howard smiled and apologized to Penny. The three of them took their seats Penny sat beside Bernadette and Amy, she felt relieved that she didn't really have to talk to the guys.

Raj sat down with his wife across from Penny. The guys chatted and Raj introduced his wife, Penny caught her name. Madhavi. She was wearing a beautiful sari and her hair was braided to the side. Penny had to admit, Raj's wife was stunning. She wondered how drunk he had to be to talk to her. As Penny was silently joking to herself, she caught his gaze. A big grin broke out onto his face.

"Penny!" He almost shouted as he stood up and walked around to her side of the table. He pulled a chair from another table and sat down beside her. Penny smiled as he looked her over.

"You look great, Penny." Raj said as he held his hand out. Penny placed her hand into his and he gently kissed her knuckle. Penny blushed, the guy gets married and turns into the Indian Casanova. Penny looked him over, he wasn't wearing a sweater vest, he was wearing a nice dark suit, dark shirt and dark tie.

"You are looking good too Raj. How's India?" Penny asked. Raj rolled his eyes.

"I hate it there. It's honestly the worst place on the planet." He said spiting it out like a bad taste in his mouth. Penny smirked.

"So how drunk are you?" She teased. "Are you constantly hammered or what?" She joked. Raj laughed. Penny let a small laugh escape her lips.

"I can honestly say that I have not had a sip of alcohol since I got married. It turns out when you're around someone all the time you can talk to them, it also turns out that when other women become off limits to you, you can talk to them too." He said wistfully. Penny laughed. She looked over at Madhavi and back to Raj.

"Well you did good. She is absolutely beautiful." She sweetly said. Raj grinned and patted her hand before putting the chair back and returning to his beautiful wife. Penny couldn't believe how much everyone's life had changed. She thought about Sheldon and his schedule and smirked. Ok, everyone but Sheldon. She wondered where he was.

Once everyone had found their seats, the microphone was being tapped and blown into. The ballroom was full, mostly of science people probably from other universities, but Penny didn't care, she felt safe in her little table universe of old friends. Dr. Siebert stood in front of the podium and tried to get everyone's attention. The room quieted and he began to speak.

"Good evening everyone, tonight we are here to honor one of our own. Tonight we pay our respects to one of the most brilliant minds of the 21st century. Please give a warm welcome to Dr. Sheldon Cooper." He started. The crowd cheered and a round of applause filled the room.

Sheldon stood in front of the podium, Penny smiled, he looked no different. His hair was styled a little more carefree, but he was still clean-shaven lanky Sheldon. He looked out at the crowd and licked his lips. Penny noticed a glass of champagne resting on the podium. She smirked. How drunk was he? Penny laughed to herself.

"Good evening friends, colleagues and treasured acquaintance. I am going to keep this short and sweet. I have changed the face of science and for that, I have been awarded the most prestigious prize for my hard word and perserverence. I'm not one for thanking people for their contributions as I don't like to share my work if I don't have to. However, I wouldn't be here if not for one of my closest friends. I would like to thank Penelope Miller." Penny's heart stopped when he looked over at the table and their eyes met. She licked her lips and forgot to breathe.

"If not for you garnering the courage to chase your dreams, I would have not done the same. To Penny and To Science." Sheldon finished as he raised his champagne glass to her. Penny's breath hitched in her throat and she couldn't stop the tears from stinging the back of her eyes. She raised her glass and toasted the man-child who seemed to have grown up in front of her eyes. The room applauded and Penny finished her glass of champagne and took in a deep breath. She smiled as everyone around her table gave her a slight nod. Penny didn't expect that from Sheldon.

Penny excused herself and stalked off to the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror, she wanted to splash water on her face, but it would ruin her make up. Instead she sat down on a couch that was in the luxurious bathroom and thought about what just happened. Did he actually acknowledge her for contributing to his scientific success? Penny felt her hand tremble. This feeling that resonated in her was something she didn't even know existed. Longing, lust, admiration, all wrapped up in teenage butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.

"Stop it, Penny. Sheldon doesn't have a deal. His deal is Science. It always has been it always will be." Penny wiped at her eyes with a tissue.

"And besides, when do you have feelings for Sheldon? He's friggin' nuts!" Penny reminded herself. She huffed and stood up. She wasn't going to spend the evening in the bathroom. She had people to see, well a handful of people she could hang out with anyways. She missed her cat. Penny shook out all the thoughts from her head, she decided the only solution would be to drown her feelings in champagne. Penny smoothed out her skirt, fixed her hair and left the bathroom in search for a drink.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi all :) **

**Again, thank you for all of the support by following, favouriting and reviewing. I really enjoy reading your input, so keep it coming. Since this story is from Penny's POV, to better understand Sheldon's motives, listen to Madness by Muse. I also have a 20 page paper due on Tuesday, so I will be giving you Sunday's post now. My next update will likely be the Monday after next.  
**

**Enjoy!**

Penny swiftly walked out to the party. She effortlessly moved through the crowd back to her table. A waiter passed and she grabbed two glasses of champagne off of his tray, only to down one and put it on the tray of a different passing waiter. Penny approached the table and all of her old friends eyed her. She furrowed her eyebrows at them and took a sip from her glass.

"What?" She nervously asked them. Amy smiled.

"Sheldon came by, he was looking for you." Bernadette answered with a sly smile. Penny couldn't help but smile back. The men looked at her with clueless expressions.

"So where is he now?" Penny asked. Amy pointed over to the far wall.

"He is somewhere in that sea of people. He is busy fulfilling his university schmoozing obligations. He should be back shortly." Amy explained. Penny nodded, surely she would see him before the night was over. Quickly, she sat back down and pulled her phone out of her purse. She reluctently checked her text messages, five from Derek. Fuck.

Penny was getting so caught up with her stupid fantasies, that she forgot about her boyfriend. She quickly scanned the texts. 1. Hey beautiful, can you take a sexy photo. 2. What are you doing babe? 3. Going out with the guys if your borde text me. 4. I'm so horny, where's my picture. 5. Nah, I'm alone tonight :(. Penny wondered where the last text was going. Instead of fuming, she quickly deleted his texts and decided that she was going to have a good time.

She got up from the table and walked over to the bar. The bartender was cute, he must have been a few years younger than her though. His dark brown hair swept across his forehead just above his eyebrow and his eyes were a dark chocolate brown. He smiled at Penny and she smiled back. She was beginning to feel a little tipsy from the three glasses of champagne that she drank.

"Hi, can I get a vodka tonic?" She asked as she drummed her fingernails on the counter. The bartender smiled and catered to Penny. He handed her the drink and Penny quickly drank it down through the little black straw that he so kindly included with the drink.

"Can I have another?" Penny quickly asked. He flashed her a quick smile and nodded. Penny took her drink and sat down while she sipped it.

"You know that guy that this party is for?" Penny asked. She was sure her syntax was becoming fuzzy, but she didn't care.

"Yeah, what about him." The bartender asked.

"I know him. I'm Penny." She said with a slight air of confidence. The bartender smiled at her.

"You're a lucky girl. He seems to be a really smart guy." He quickly said to her. Penny passed him her empty glass and was beginning to feel warm all over.

"I'll tell you a secret. That man is fucking brilliant. He has the IQ of a freaking robot. Smart is an understatement." Penny said as she brushed her hair off of her forehead. The alcohol was going to hit her as soon as she stood up, but she didn't care.

"He must really have feelings for you." He offered. Penny laughed, really hard. She started waiving her hand to stop herself. Her stomach began to hurt and she fought to control herself.

"Who? Sheldon? He doesn't have a deal." Penny said at the tail end of her laugh. The bartender raised his eyebrows at her. Penny smiled, stood up and took a maraschino cherry from the bartender's stock pile, popping it into her mouth and ripping off the stem. Penny gave the kid at the bar a twenty.

"Thanks for the chat, kiddo." Penny said as she turned on her heel. She wasn't stumbling, which was a good sign. She would cool it on the drinks for a while. Penny floated around the party, being her happy entertaining self. She had just enough liquor in her to convince other people that she was interesting and charming. When they found out that she was Penny Miller, they kept telling her how lucky she was. Penny thought it was a running joke between all of the guests.

Penny sat down at her table beside Leonard. She looked over at him and it seemed like he was pretty drunk too. She wondered why he was drinking and chalked it up to not having his own Nobel Prize. She patted his thigh as she watched the people walk about the room. Her attention turned toward him again.

"I was so in love with you. Do you know that? I worshipped the ground you walked on and you didn't even care." Leonard started.

"Penny, when you left for New York, you broke my heart. You ripped it out of my chest and stuck it in a blender." Leonard continued. Penny gave him a look trying to figure out what he was trying to get at.

"What the fuck Leonard? You broke my heart. You couldn't even be supportive!" Penny said as she started to get up. Leonard grasped her arm and coaxed her back down to her seat.

"No no no, I'm not finished. I am thanking you. If you hadn't ended it with me, I would never have got together with the love of my life. No offense. So thanks, Penny." Leonard finished with a soft smile on his face. Penny couldn't help but smile back.

"Well, you're welcome. I think." Penny said. She glanced back at the crowd and back to Leonard. She thought back to Sheldon thanking her. It made her heart swell.

"People keep telling me how lucky I am, is there some kind of joke I'm not in on?" Penny asked. Leonard raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips.

"I don't think so." He stated. Penny huffed and wished she was drunker.

"I don't know what's happening, but I think I have feelings for him." Penny said while looking out into the crowd. Leonard stared blankly at her. She turned her gaze back toward him and his expression was priceless. She couldn't help but laugh.

"You have feelings. For who? Sheldon?" He questioned trying to gain some clarification. Penny rolled her eyes.

"Yes." She simply stated.

"Sheldon Cooper." Leonard stated in disbelief. Penny laughed and playfully hit him in the chest. Leonard made a grunting sound as the wind got knocked out of him. Penny narrowed her eyes at Leonard.

"Yes. Sheldon Cooper." Penny stated again. Leonard looked around the room and let out a sigh.

"I can't say that I'm really surprised. You guys always had like a weird chemistry together." Leonard told her. Penny smiled, that was true. Penny stood up, on a mission to find him. She wasn't sure what she was going to say to him, but she knew she had to see him.

As she walked through the crowd, she carefully scanned the room. Penny walked in between people and failed to locate him. She let out a sigh and walked out the doors to the elevator. This was a bad idea anyway, she was drunk and wasn't thinking clearly. Her mind reminded her that she was thinking this way before she was drunk. Penny shook her head and dug through her purse for her room key.

A shock ran through her body when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She quickly turned around and was face to face with the man who had eluded her all evening. She smiled, his smoldering pale blue eyes seemed to bore holes into her soul. They rendered her speechless, she wasn't sure what to say now that they were standing there, just mere inches apart.

"Hi Penny." Sheldon started. He licked at his lips and offered her a small smile. Penny cleared her throat and searched for the words to say, he was the same man, yet somehow different. The situation changed. People change. Well everyone, except Sheldon.

"Hi." She finally mustered. She felt like a sophomore being chatted up by the quarterback. Except Sheldon was definitely not a quarterback. The quarterback of physics, maybe. Penny blushed, her cheeks felt like they were on fire.

"I've been looking for you." Sheldon told her. Penny nodded while mindlessly chewing at her bottom lip.

"I've been doing the same." Penny confessed. Sheldon offered her the bend of his elbow and Penny graciously took it. They walked to another spot in the hotel, where there were less people and they could talk privately. It felt strange. Penny felt nervous.

Penny kept looking up at Sheldon and Sheldon would catch her eye. She would smile and nervously avert her eyes, blushing. She caught Sheldon smirk, like the kind of smirk he gives people when he bests them at something. Sheldon stopped and stood in front of Penny, her heart fluttered in her chest, like a trapped dove trying to get out of a magician's cage. She licked at her lips and before she could assess the situation, Sheldon had Penny pressed up against the wall with his lips firmly planted on hers.

Penny effortlessly sunk into their kiss and slowly moved her mouth with his. Her hands found their way to the lapels of his black suit jacket and she grasped onto them fearing that she would float away on the river of emotion that flooded over her. Penny parted her lips and Sheldon was quick to explore her waiting mouth with his curious tongue. Penny could taste the alcohol that lingered on his taste buds, she was sure that he could taste it on her too.

"You've been drinking." Penny said softly pushing him away. She suddenly felt guilty, like she was taking advantage of him in some sort of inebriated state. Sheldon brought his lips back down to hers and placed them against hers, barely touching them. Penny held her breath and waited for what seemed like an eternity as Sheldon softly exhaled against her lips. Penny could hear the blood pounding in her ears and she was sure that he could hear it too.

"So have you." Sheldon finally whispered. His lips barely brushed against hers as he spoke. Penny felt an intense shock run down her spine, causing her to shiver. Sheldon kissed her again, softly and slowly. He seemed to be imploring her to divulge her best kept secrets. Penny wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his soft hair, lightly scratching her nails at his scalp. Sheldon softly groaned into their kiss. His tongue felt like suede as it tentatively ran against hers. Penny gently pushed him away again and searched his hungry eyes for something to rationalize the situation.

"Sheldon don't you think we should talk about this?" Penny asked. Sheldon grinned at her and placed his lips against her neck. His breath was hot against her soft skin. He gently nibbled along the vein that pulsed along her throat as he worked his fingers into her hair. Penny let her eyes flutter closed. How was it possible that he was making her feel this weak in the knees?

"Penny, I've waited too long.. to waste more time.. thinking and analyzing." He whispered against her neck in between slow burning, agonizing kisses.

"Just go with it." He pleaded. His breath was heavy in her ear. His voice was smooth and reassuring. She couldn't help but agree. Penny quickly nodded her head and Sheldon ran his hands from the nape of her neck, down Penny's soft bare back, stopping at her ass to gently caress her delicate curves. As they kissed, Penny moved them closer to the closest elevator so she could hit the button to go up and she quickly loosened Sheldon's black tie on the way there. The elevator arrived at the ground floor and the two of them quickly pressed inside when the doors opened.

The doors closed and she fumbled to hit the right buttons. The elevator began climbing floor after floor and they couldn't keep their hands off each other. Sheldon pressed her against the mirrored wall and lifted her leg up onto his hip. His hand cautiously wandered up her dress and stopped when it met her garter belt. Sheldon smiled and searched her face. Penny smiled at him and playfully bit her lip.

"You like that?" She coyly asked. Sheldon's eyes were wild. All he could do was nod and continue to search under her dress.

"You know that there are cameras installed in these elevators." Sheldon warned. Penny's eyes darted across his face and she smirked. So he had a deal, and it was quite naughty. Penny pressed her lips against his and playfully bit at his bottom lip, causing him to moan into her mouth.

Penny smiled when the elevator stopped at her floor, the two got off and Penny grasped his hand into hers and led him down the hallway. They walked in silence. She couldn't believe that she was taking Sheldon back to her hotel room. This whole experience was surreal, she felt like she was cheating on her life back home with this fantasy of how things used to be.

She got out her room key and unlocked her door. Penny led him into the room, his hands quickly wrapped around her waist and ran up her body, cupping her bra-less breasts through her dress. Sheldon pressed his hardness against her backside and Penny softly sighed. She unzipped her dress from the side and took Sheldon's wandering hand into hers. Penny led Sheldon to her king size bed, and pushed him onto the mattress.

As she stood in front of him, she couldn't help but think about Derek. It was obvious that she didn't truly care for him. She was considering cheating on him and living with the guilt for the rest of her life. Suddenly the rational part of her brain kicked in. She couldn't do this to Sheldon, she couldn't do this to Derek. Penny pursed her lips together and fought back tears that sat on the edge of her lashes.

"Penny, what's wrong?" Sheldon said sitting up in her bed. His boyish innocence caught her off guard. Tears splashed onto her cheeks and Sheldon quickly stood up wrapping his arms around her and sitting her on the bed. He sat beside her and rubbed at her arms with his hands.

"Penny, please don't cry. Have I done something to offend you?" He naively asked. Penny let out a small laugh through her tears, of course he would think that.

"No, Sheldon. You're fine, you've done everything right. It's me, I'm the one who is doing something wrong." Penny said trying not to sob. How embarrassing.

"Sheldon I have a boyfriend." Penny bluntly said, there was no reason for beating around the bush. Sheldon softly patted her on the back. She expected him to say 'there there'.

"Penny, if you have a boyfriend, why didn't you bring him with you?" Sheldon questioned. Penny shrugged, she didn't quite have an answer. He asked to come and Penny said that he couldn't and that she wasn't allowed to bring a guest. She didn't want him here.

"I don't know, Sheldon, I guess that I just wanted to see everyone as Penny. Not Penny and some guy she's dating." Penny confessed. She tried to laugh through her tears, but her breath hitched in her throat. She quickly realized how pathetic she was sounding.

"You have to go." Penny quickly told him as as she got up and gently guided him to her door. Penny opened the door and Sheldon quickly turned around, he grasped her wrist.

"Penny aren't you at least a bit curious about what could happen between us?" Sheldon softly asked her. The tears stung at her eyes. Of course she was.

"Sheldon, please. I just need you to go." Penny whispered. She hoped that he wouldn't hear her and take her in his arms once more.

Sheldon nodded and left her hotel room, closing the door behind him. Penny let out a confused sob and collapsed against the door. She allowed gravity to take her body to the floor where she cried. Penny felt so confused, she wanted to be with Sheldon, but she already had someone at home. She couldn't do that to Derek. Penny wasn't that kind of girl, she was a nice girl who didn't play around with fire. Penny knew she was in trouble.


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay! I know I said update on Monday, but Monday is thanksgiving (in Canada). For those who are celebrating, happy turkey dayhail try to update as soon as I can, school is kind of kicking my ass.**

**enjoy!**

Penny woke up in her hotel room, hung over and in desperate need of a shower and some pain killers. She still felt really crappy after throwing Sheldon out and going to bed alone. After she got out of bed, she walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower. The shower started to get hot and steam quickly filled the bathroom. Penny wiped the condensate from the mirror and stared at her reflection.

Her makeup was smeared, she had mascara on her cheeks and her hair was wild. Penny shook her head in disappointment and got into the shower. The water was hot, just what she needed to wash away the guilt she felt from last night. She couldn't believe the feelings that Sheldon was eliciting from her. She felt a familiar tingle in between her thighs as she thought about him pawing at her in the elevator.

_Just go with it._

His words rang in her ears as she soaped up her smooth skin. She wanted nothing more than to just go with whatever he was offering her. How was it, that Dr. Sheldon Cooper made her want to get into bed with him? Penny stood still and thought about it for a moment as the water practically scalded her flesh. Did she have some old pent up feelings for him when she left Pasadena? Were they there the whole time? Penny sighed. Even if she did want to just go with it, how could she? Her life was across the country. Sheldon was here. It would never work, even if she wanted it to.

Penny quickly pushed her thoughts out of her mind and finished up in her shower. She wanted to get ready because she wanted to try to catch a flight home today. Being in Pasadena was doing something to her, something that she wasn't sure she could handle. As she wrapped her hair in a towel and her body in a different one, she walked out into her room. Penny glanced at the night stand and quickly picked up her phone.

She missed a text from Sheldon. Penny fought the urge to respond, but what could be the harm of reading it. She unlocked her phone and read what he had to say.

_Penny, I'm terribly sorry for the way I acted last night. I would like to make it up to you. Are you free tonight?_

Penny thought about his request. Something in her desperately wanted to go home and forget that this weekend ever happened, but there was also something that wanted to stay and spend time with her friend. After all, they didn't get a chance to catch up. Penny sighed and began texting back.

_I'm free, what did you have in mind?_

She set her phone down on the bed and picked out a purple t-shirt and a pair of jeans to wear. Wearing something that was overtly sexy could give Sheldon the wrong message or lead him on. Penny didn't want that. After she brushed her hair out and scrunched it into loose waves, she put on her makeup. She picked up her phone and read his text. Butterflies filled her stomach.

_Good, I will have the evening planned out for us. Why don't you come over at 5:30?_

Penny smiled. She did have some things that she could get done before then. Her fingers gingerly typed out her response.

_5:30 sounds good. See you then Sheldor._

The memory hit her like a ton of bricks. Sheldon took her in when she was locked out of her apartment and taught her how to play Age of Conan. He smelled like laundry detergent and lemons. When he was telling her what to do, he was never condescending toward her and he never made snide remarks. It was a side of Sheldon that she wasn't sure existed. He shared with her a piece of him, even if it was just a video game, Penny never forgot that.

She was staring at her phone when it rang in her hands. Penny jumped and her heart almost escaped through her ribcage. She looked at the familiar number and smiled.

"Hello?" Penny answered.

"Hi Penny, it's Nina! How are you?! I heard you were in town! When do you leave?" Her former agent replied.

"Hi Nina, yeah I'm in Pasadena right now. I leave on Tuesday, but I actually think I'm going to leave tomorrow. Hey, I'm working on something right now, it's just a draft, but maybe you could send it to some people to see if they're interested in it." Penny said into the receiver.

"Sure, anything for you! Send it over my way and I'll get it into the right hands." Nina said. Penny smiled. They exchanged some more pleasantries before they said good bye. Penny went to her purse and pulled out her play. After reading over what she had, she decided that perhaps she could sell this thing as a sitcom. Penny quickly wrote out an email addressed to Nina explaining the premise of the idea. After feeling like she didn't give too much away, she sent her email to her former agent.

Maybe if she was lucky this thing could actually get somewhere. As a play, it didn't really make sense, but as a sitcom, there would be so much that Penny could do with it. Penny decided to take the day and write until her fingertips were sore. She took all her ideas and wrote a new script. Penny would need something to show just in case any network executives liked her idea.

Penny thought about what the pilot should be and perhaps she should get some research done, after all, she only knew her side of what meeting Sheldon and Leonard was like. She decided to write it out, and then get Sheldon's perspective, she could change it when she got home to New York. As Penny wrote, the time ticked by. She didn't even realize that it was already 5. She had successfully written the pilot and four subsequent "episodes". After saving her work on her laptop, she closed the lid, tossed on a pair of sneakers and left for Sheldon's apartment in her rental car.

Penny pulled up in front of her old apartment building and feelings of familiarity rushed over her. It almost felt like she was getting off work from the Cheesecake Factory and that she was going to watch a movie with the boys. Only now, Leonard lived in Penny's old apartment and Amy moved in with him, Sheldon lived alone and Penny lived across the country.

Penny stepped past the front door and smiled at the mailboxes where she and Sheldon would often talk about stuff. He often referred to it as 'banal chit chat', but Penny knew he liked it. Slowly she made her way up the stairs only to notice on floor three that the elevator was working. Penny decided to forgo the elevator ride, because she was almost at her destination. As she stood in front of 4A, she couldn't help but nervously wring her hands together while she mustered up the courage to knock. She heard voices coming up the stairs and quickly knocked on Sheldon's door. Amy and Leonard rounded the corner of the stairwell, Penny caught Leonard's gaze as Sheldon opened the door.

"Hello Penny." Sheldon said with a smile. Amy and Leonard watched as Penny turned away from them and looked into Sheldon's face. His expression was soft and she seemed to get lost in his eyes for a moment. Penny cleared her throat and looked back at Amy and Leonard while they were pretending to unlock the door to 4B. Her attention snapped back to Sheldon when she realized they weren't leaving.

"Hi Sheldon, can I come in?" Penny quickly asked, trying to not sound like she was begging. Sheldon nodded and moved aside as she entered his apartment. She watched as he mouthed something to his neighbors and motioned for them to go inside of their own apartment. Penny smiled as she looked around his apartment, it was practically the same, a few new additions, but mostly unchanged.

Penny quickly sat down on the couch as Sheldon closed his door and walked toward the kitchen. He stopped and looked at her sitting in his spot. Sheldon seemed to fight off the urge of asking her to move out of his spot, while Penny fought off the urge to laugh because she knew he was going to say something. Sheldon grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge and a plate of pizza for them both.

"So, what do you have planned for us?" Penny nervously asked. She felt like she was sixteen again and she was over at an older boys house whose parents just happened to be out of town. Sheldon smiled as Penny slid over to the middle cushion, and he placed their dinner on the coffee table.

"I was thinking that we could watch a movie. I have pre-selected three, but you can make the final decision." Sheldon replied. Penny smiled and nodded, a movie sounded like a very non-sexual activity.

Penny was beginning to feel uneasy about the whole notion of being here, was this cheating? She quickly pushed the idea out of her head. Of course she was being absurd. Sheldon picked up the movies from the side table and handed them over to Penny. Her choices were Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Gate, and The Fifth Element. Penny mulled over her choices and finally settled on The Fifth Element. Sheldon popped the movie in and sat down. The two sat in a comfortable silence eating their dinner and watching their movie.

Penny finished her pizza and took her and Sheldon's dishes into the kitchen and placed them into the sink. She looked back at him and he was smiling at her. Penny smiled back and hurried to take her seat next to him. Sheldon glanced at Penny and caught her eye. He cleared his throat and took her hand into his. Penny felt her heart hammering in her throat, how could something that was conflicting with her morals feel so right?

"Sheldon-" Penny started.

"Yes, Penny I know you have a boyfriend. I'm just your friend and we are simply enjoying each others company." Sheldon countered. Penny looked into his bright blue eyes, they were flecked with a soft grey that made them look intense. She felt like she was drowning and the only thing saving her was Sheldon's fingers laced with hers. Penny turned her attention back to the movie.

"Tell me about him." Sheldon asked, he never turned his attention away from her. Penny blushed, heat radiated and prickled at her ears. Was he seriously asking about this while holding her hand? Penny took in a deep breath.

"Well, his name is Derek and he's an environmental lawyer. He's really nice and he's smart. Not like you smart, but smarter than the average guy." Penny started. Sheldon nodded and took in every word she spoke before continuing his line of questions.

"How long have the two of you.. been together." He finished his sentence with an air of uncertainty.

"We've only been dating a month, but I really like him." Penny stated. Was she telling herself these things to convince herself, or did she really believe them to be true? Sheldon nodded as he softly rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand. Penny couldn't believe how natural it felt to be sitting with him like this.

"How many dates have you been on with him?" Sheldon asked. Penny pursed her lips and couldn't think of a single date, they usually would meet up at one of their places, have a few glasses of wine and end up in bed. Penny quickly averted her gaze to their hands.

"Like in public?" Penny sheepishly asked. Sheldon looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"Isn't that where dates normally take place, in public?" Sheldon said trying to clarify his question.

"None. We usually just see each other after work and … Sheldon I'm not going to discuss my sex-life with you." Penny concluded. Sheldon let out a laugh. Not a gaspy laugh. It was a genuine laugh that Penny couldn't figure out.

"I'm sorry Penny, it sounds like your relationship is a glorified 'friends with benefits' paradigm. Tell me a personal detail about this boyfriend of yours." Sheldon quickly said to her. Penny frowned and suddenly felt defensive.

"Sheldon, that's not fair." Penny countered.

"What's not fair, Penny? You are morally conflicted because you feel like you have to be loyal to a man you barely know. Honestly, the whole notion is preposterous." Sheldon reasoned. Penny didn't like where this conversation was going. Sheldon was out of line. She gritted her teeth together.

"What is my middle name?" Sheldon quickly asked. Penny huffed and rolled her eyes at him.

"Lee." She quickly responded. Sheldon smiled at her with his baby blues. Penny betrayed herself, she wasn't supposed to be giving in like this.

"What's his middle name?" He asked her, a look of satisfaction flashed across his face for just a split second. Penny looked away and stared at the coffee table.

"I don't know." She obediently answered. Sheldon cupped her chin in his free hand and brought her soft lips to his. Penny closed her eyes and let him wash over her. He still smelled like laundry detergent and lemons. It was the best scent combination that Penny had ever experienced. As they softly kissed, Penny brought up her free hand and ran it through Sheldon's hair, gently tousling it. Sheldon pressed against her and Penny let him lay her down on the couch.

She couldn't fight off the feelings that were rushing through her any longer. Sheldon pushed up Penny's t-shirt exposing her stomach to him, he pressed his lips against her abdomen and explored her body with his kisses. Penny let out a sigh and watched as he indulged in the smoothness of her skin.

"Penny, I have waited a very long time and I will continue to wait if that's what you want." Sheldon said, his lips brushing against her skin as he spoke to her. Penny licked her lips and looked down at him. Their eyes met and she smiled.

"How long have you waited?" Penny asked. Sheldon sat up and assisted Penny up as well. He held onto her hand with one hand as he brushed her hair behind her ear with the other.

"Since the day I met you." Sheldon bluntly told her. Penny's eyes darted across his face, searching for something, anything that could give her a clue to this man who was a completely different person, yet seemed to be unaffected by change.

"I couldn't pursue you. I was determined to stay focused, I had to get my Nobel Prize and that meant I couldn't be with you. I had to admire you from a far until the time was right." He explained. Penny felt dizzy, she felt like her heart had been knocked off its feet. She knew there was some sort of electric chemistry between them when they first met.

"What about Amy? Why did you date her?" Penny quickly asked, she hoped that she didn't come off sounding jealous.

"I allowed myself to get distracted for the wrong reasons." Sheldon tried to explain. Penny didn't really understand, but it didn't really matter. Penny kissed him. She wanted this. She didn't care about right or wrong. The only thing she cared about was now. Penny focused on Sheldon's hand snaking around her waist instead of letting her 'glorified booty call', as Sheldon so eloquently put it, ruin this moment for her.

Penny quickly crawled into Sheldon's lap and gently pressed her tongue to his as he parted his lips. Sheldon's hand grasped at the hem of her shirt and he pulled it over her head in one swift movement. His lips gravitated toward her clavicle and Penny let her head loll back while her eyes closed. Sheldon's hands found their way to the clasp of her bra, she could feel the nervous tension in the air as his lips traveled down her chest and his hand replaced one of the cups of her bra as he tossed it to the floor with his other hand.

Penny moaned as he gently tweaked her nipple in between his thumb and index finger. Heat radiated from between Penny's thighs, instinct took over and she ground herself into Sheldon's throbbing arousal. Sheldon replaced his hand with his hot mouth, Penny sharply inhaled as he grazed his teeth along her hardened flesh.

All of the atoms in Penny's body were buzzing, Sheldon quickly picked her up and laid her back down on the couch. He kissed down her stomach and unbuttoned her tight jeans. Penny assisted him as he wiggled them down her thighs, pulling her sneakers off of her feet and her jeans off of her legs. Penny shyly kept her thighs together. Sheldon smirked at her playing modest, she knew that he knew her better than that. Penny was a big 'ol five. He gently kissed at her knees, eliciting a small giggle from her. Penny smiled up at him as he kissed from her knees, slowly making his way down her inner thighs.

Sheldon's slight stubble rubbed against the skin of her thigh, there was something oddly erotic about getting rug burn on her sensitive skin. Penny softly moaned as he gently bit at her hip bone, teasing her flesh with small nibbles. Sheldon worked Penny's pink polka dot panties down her thighs revealing her to him. She was waxed free of hair and her folds were slick and ready. Sheldon quickly looked up into her face, almost asking for permission to kiss her most intimate spot. Penny rubbed at his forearm and moved his hand closer to her dewy lips.

Sheldon brought his hands down to her and pressed his thumb against her clit as he kissed just above where he was applying pressure. Penny sighed heavily as he ran his thumb down into her wetness and pressed two fingers against her entrance. Sheldon licked at his lips and Penny could see him processing everything in his big beautiful brain.

As he slowly plunged his long fingers into her, he placed his tongue against her clit. The feeling caused a shiver to run up Penny's spine and made her hips slightly buck. Sheldon smiled against her sensitive pleasure button, his fingers gently explored her and when he hit her g-spot, Penny couldn't help but cry out. Sheldon switched up his motion as soon as he heard an auditory response from her. It was like he was begging her to come for him on the inside of her body. Sheldon gently sucked at her clit as he pumped his fingers in and out of her.

Penny's body writhed underneath him, and he slid his free hand under her ass so he could stop her from moving so much. Sheldon removed his fingers from her and licked at the wetness that decorated her thighs. Penny was trying to manage her breathing, but failed. She felt like she was going to black out because she was breathing so heavily. Her lungs seemed to burn with every essential breath she took.

"Don't stop, don't stop Sheldon." Penny whispered, she didn't care that she sounded like she was pleading. Sheldon obliged her request and gently sucked on her while running his fingertips along her g-spot. Penny felt her orgasm building, but once she felt Sheldon softly bite at her engorged clit, that sent her over the edge. She came hard, her cries were primal and uncensored. Sheldon fought to keep her bucking hips under control. Once her orgasm spread through her extremities, she laid still on his brown leather sofa. Sheldon kissed up her body as he moved to sit up in his spot.

"That was incredible, Sheldon. How do you even know how to do that?" Penny managed to get out between heavy breaths. Sheldon smirked as he grabbed her panties from the coffee table and handed them to her.

"It's amazing what a little bit of internet research can do." He quipped. Penny laughed as she tugged her panties over her hips and searched for her bra on the floor. It was official, she was going to hell in a hand basket.


	6. Chapter 6

**So you guys are all awesome. Do I ever tell you that? Thank you for reading, favouriting and following!  
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**Reviews are also awesome. I love reading them, you love writing them. Let's do this!  
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Penny sat on Sheldon's couch in her t-shirt and panties as they finished their movie. Sheldon had his arm wrapped around the girl who could not yet be his and she gently rested her head on the shoulder of the guy who had always been right under her nose. It was like no time had passed and she was just watching a movie before she had to go to bed across the hall.

"Do you remember when you met me?" Penny asked as they watched Korben Dallas trying to save the Diva's life. Sheldon glanced away from the television to look at Penny who still had her eyes fixed on the scene unfolding in front of her.

"Penny, I have an eidetic memory, I can remember the lunch my mother packed for me on the first day of kindergarten. It was a peanut butter and jam sandwich, strawberry jam not raspberry which was disappointing, the crusts were cut off, but she missed one side. Frankie Brown was allergic to peanuts and he stole my sandwich. The teacher had to-"

"Sheldon. I know you have a super memory. Tell me about the day you met me." Penny interrupted, not wanting to hear about Frankie Brown. Sheldon nodded.

"Well, you moved in on a Saturday. Leonard and I had the day off and we went to the high IQ sperm bank to donate for extra money so we could get the capability for faster downloads in the apartment, but I couldn't live with some woman hoping that my sperm would give her high IQ offspring, so I made Leonard drive me home." He started. Penny stifled a laugh, only they would want to sell their bodily fluids for faster downloads.

"Then when we came home, we noticed you unpacking your things with your door open. I suddenly felt shy and when Leonard approached you I felt uneasy. You were wearing a blue t-shirt and denim cut off shorts. Your hair was roughly the same length that it is now and even though you thought you didn't smell good, you smelled like green apples." Sheldon continued. Penny smiled when she recalled taking over their shower.

"It wasn't until you asked me if I was one of those beautiful mind genius guys, that I felt insanely attracted to you. I wanted to show you the inner workings of the universe. I didn't know what to say, so I just said yeah. Then Leonard worked his way into our moment, and I knew that I had to stay true to my work." Sheldon finished. Penny grinned when she thought about that. Something about talking to a super smart genius got her motor running.

"You want to know something?" Penny asked.

"Yeah." Sheldon playfully answered. Penny smirked.

"It's always been you. I'm just realizing it, but it has. If you would have asked me out back then, I would have said yes. When you did ask me out, I didn't say yes for Amy's sake. I couldn't do that to her." Penny confessed. Sheldon softly kissed the top of her head through her blond hair.

"You understand why I didn't pursue you, right?" Sheldon asked as he threaded his fingers into hers. Penny pressed her temple into his shoulder.

"Yes." She softly answered. The two sat quietly while holding hands, watching the conclusion of the movie that they really didn't watch.

"I have to go back, you know that, right?" Penny asked. Sheldon nodded.

"I do." He replied. Penny felt her heart break. She didn't want to leave, everything seemed to be falling into place but it was too late.

"Tell me about your life in New York." Sheldon asked. Penny sighed. New York, the place where she grew into her career as a stage actress.

"Well, I live in a studio apartment in Chelsea and I am currently employed with a theatre group that produces quite a few Broadway plays. I have a cat named George. He's the cutest cat you've ever seen. I really miss him." Penny finished, feeling sad about leaving her furry friend in New York. Sheldon rubbed at her arm and kissed her cheek.

"When do you go back?" He asked. Penny didn't want to tell him. She wanted to stay on that couch forever.

"I'm leaving tomorrow. I booked a flight for 10 am." Penny stated. She tried not to sound sad. It was hard not to. Sheldon placed his hand on her cheek and turned her face toward his. He pressed his forehead against hers and softly kissed her lips. Penny felt the tears strain against her eyelashes. She wasn't going to cry. Penny pulled away and tried to hide her shining eyes from him.

"Can I see you off tomorrow?" He quickly asked. Penny looked at him and offered a half smile.

"I thought you didn't like good byes and weepy displays of emotion." Penny countered. Sheldon smirked.

"I don't." Sheldon stated.

"But that doesn't mean that I don't want to see you before you go." Sheldon told her. Penny smiled and sat up from the couch, pulling her pants onto her body. She grabbed the rest of her things and walked toward his door.

"I wouldn't say no to that. I have to go. Good night, Sheldon." Penny said as she gripped the door handle. Sheldon sat up straighter in his spot.

"Good night, Penny." He said. Penny left and briskly walked down the stairs. This was the last thing she needed. She didn't want her mind to be filled up with everything that Sheldon turned out to be. Even if she didn't want it, it was too late. He was going to be with her for the rest of her days, haunting her. Penny brushed a tear that escaped her eyelashes off of her cheek.

Penny got into her car and drove back to the hotel. Sheldon plagued her thoughts, the softness of his tongue lingered on her, the scent of him teased her when she packed her suitcase, and the sincerity of his words would echo in her ears for days to come.

_Just go with it._

Penny got ready for bed, she would just have to try and put him out of her mind and tomorrow she could get back to her own life. Tomorrow was a new day.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Penny waited at her gate, Sheldon never showed. She felt hurt and betrayed. Penny boarded her flight and tried to forget about this weekend. Things were never going to be the same, not while Sheldon was in Pasadena, not while she was here. She decided that when she got home, she would just try to forget. She would stop with the emails, scrap her play, try to forget Sheldon's intoxicating scent and his blue eyes and his surprisingly strong forearms. Penny willed herself to snap out of it.

For the rest of the flight, she watched The Holiday with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet, ignoring him. She was ignoring the fact that he swept her off her feet too late and ignoring the fact that she wanted to know more about him, even though she knew more than she needed to know and ignoring the fact that he didn't show up. Penny huffed, closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

When she arrived, she got off the plane, collected her luggage and hailed a cab. Penny watched the busy New Yorkers scatter about on the sidewalk. Everyone was in a rush here. The cab pulled up to her apartment building and she quickly got out of the cab. After getting her things from the trunk, she got onto the elevator and made her way to her apartment.

Penny unlocked her door and pressed inside. Her cat attacked her legs with snuggles as she tried to wheel her luggage toward her bed. Penny picked up her cat and snuggled him. It seemed like she was gone for a year instead of a weekend.

"I have to make one more stop before I can settle in for cuddles. I'll be back before you know it." Penny told George. George meowed at her in protest, but Penny didn't listen, she walked out the door and took the elevator down to the lobby. Penny hailed another cab and requested to be taken to an apartment building on the upper west side.

After the cab stopped, Penny paid the driver and got out. She stood in front of Derek's apartment building and let out a sigh. It was now or never. Confess your sins. Penny trudged up the stairs and caught the door as someone was coming out. She made her way through the building and stood in front of the door.

Penny quietly knocked on the door and waited. Her stomach was filled with guilty nervous knots. Though she really didn't want to face him, she couldn't wait to get it out in the open. Penny Miller was a cheater. The quicker she could end this sham of a relationship, the sooner she could get back to being Penny. The door opened and money was being offered to her. Penny frowned. Derek stood before her in a bed sheet.

"Penny! Hey! I thought you were the pizza guy." He sheepishly confessed. Penny sighed and pursed her lips together. Confessing was going to be harder than she thought.

"Derek can I come in? I have to talk to you, it's really important." Penny said as she tried to push past him. Derek leaned against the door jam, blocking her from entering the apartment.

"Actually, now isn't really a good time. Can we talk about whatever you have to talk about tomorrow?" He said, almost pleading for her to go away. Penny gave him a puzzled look, but figured out what was going on when she saw a woman's arm wrap around his waist.

"Derek come back inside, I'm starving!" The woman said as she tweaked his nipple and slipped back into the apartment. Penny nodded her head at the situation, of course this would happen to her. At least she wasn't the only guilty one, she kind of felt relieved. Penny turned on her heel and began walking down the hallway.

"Penny wait.." Derek called to her. Penny ignored him. She walked down the stairwell instead of taking the elevator. As she fled down the stairs, she let out a breath she was holding. At least she avoided having a really shitty conversation with a guy who she thought she knew, but as it turns out she never really knew at all.

As Penny walked down the street, waiting for a cab to come along, she felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of her. It was almost as if the events that transpired were giving her a serendipitous alternative. The realization that she avoided an almost unavoidable circumstance, it didn't change things. Sheldon lived on the other side of the country and he failed to see her off when she left. Penny sighed as she flagged down a cab and headed home.

Penny settled into her apartment. She turned on the tv and watched some garbage show on MTV, snuggling with George the tabby cat. She told him about her trip to Pasadena, California, where her knight in shining armor had hopefully not forgotten about her, even if she wanted nothin more than to forget about him. As she told him stories, she began to feel groggy and she eventually fell asleep with the tv on.

The morning light trickled into her bedroom. Penny luckily had the day off, she really didn't want to go back to work anyway. Penny rolled over onto her stomach and checked her phone. She had an unread email, and two text messages, one from Sheldon and one from Amy. Butterflies filled her stomach as she unlocked her phone to check the text from Sheldon.

_Penny, please accept my deepest apologies for not seeing you off, I got called into a work meeting and I was unable to postpone it. It was good to see you. _

Penny sighed, she wasn't sure what she was going to do, so she didn't reply, even though he could clearly see that she had read his text. Penny moved onto the text from Amy.

_Bestie, what happened the other night!? I was under the impression that you had a boyfriend._

Penny smirked at her friend's text. Amy was right to be curious, but Penny didn't want to divulge too much information.

_I did. It ended when I found him in bed with another woman._

Penny quickly sent her text message and then checked her email. It was from Nina. Penny sat up in her bed like a bolt of lightning ran up her spine. She opened the email and began to read.

_From: ninasmith  
Date: 8:33 am; December 20, 2016  
To: pennyblossom_

_Hi Penny,_

_I brought your idea to a few executives at CBS and they want to explore your idea further. They want a script to work with, hopefully you have something prepared. I will be awaiting your response. _

_Cheers,_

_Nina_

Penny stared at the email from her former agent. She was sure this had to be some kind of joke, and a tasteless one at that. Penny's phone chimed with Amy's ringtone. She flipped over to her texts

_Oh no! That is just terrible bestie. If I were there, I would make you a hot beverage and allow you to take comfort in my waiting arms. He obviously doesn't know what he is missing. On an unrelated note, a little birdie told me that you confessed your unbridled love for a physicist who may or may not live across the hall from Leonard and I._

Penny laughed when she read the message. Of course Amy would say something like that. Penny felt overwhelmed. There was a chance that she could move back to Pasadena if this whole sitcom thing panned out. She needed to make sure she was doing it for the right reasons. It needed it to be for her, not anyone else, even if they were one of the smartest of men in America. Penny ignored her text from Amy and replied to Nina's email on her laptop.

_Hi Nina,_

_That's great to hear. Please see attached the first draft of the pilot for Big Bang. _

_Looking forward to hearing from you, _

_Penny_

Penny quickly sent off the email and returned to Sheldon's text message. She thought about how she was going to approach it.

_I understand why you couldn't have been there. You should have called._

Penny smiled. Perhaps this was going to work out. Maybe it was possible that she could have it all. She quickly returned to Amy's text.

_Sheldon and I watched a movie. On an unrelated note did you hear back from your realtor?_

Penny waited for them to text her back. She really didn't want to get out of bed, but since her neighbor wasn't coming to make sure her cat wasn't going to die, she got up to feed George. Penny took a shower and got ready for the day, she thought that maybe she could go get a coffee and curl up with a book and watch the snow fall. She smiled as she pulled a cozy sweater over her head and checked her phone again. She clicked on Amy's text.

_Actually we did, we can take possession next week because it's a fast sale, but I don't know what to do about the apartment. We've already paid for this month and next month._

Penny's eyes grew wide. She thought that maybe even if the whole sitcom thing fell through, she could take a chance. Now that she had some experience in theatre, maybe she could actually get somewhere in LA. Even if she couldn't get a job in show business, maybe she could get an office job as a receptionist somewhere. She then checked Sheldon's text.

_I know I should have called. If you let me, I can make it up to you._

Penny was intrigued by his proposition. How could a man who lived almost 2500 miles away make it up to her.

_How?_

She hit send. As quickly as she sent the text she was receiving his response.

_I'll wait._

Penny's heart skipped a beat and butterflies filled her stomach, she couldn't believe it. She was going to move back to Pasadena. Penny smiled to herself and quickly texted Amy.

_I'll take the apartment off your hands. I can send you the rent money and when I get there we can deal with switching the lease over. I'll just need you to let the moving guys in when they come. I'll send you more deets later. Can you just keep this between us? I am doing this for me, not a physicist that may or may not live across the hall from you.  
_

Penny wasn't sure she was ready, but she didn't care. She needed a breath of fresh air and as good as New York had been to her, she needed something else, something familiar. Penny picked up her cat and danced with him in her apartment singing 'Going to California' by Wave.


	7. Chapter 7

Penny arrived in Pasadena and couldn't wait to get settled into her new old apartment. She had spent the last six hours on a plane with a mildly sedated cat as carry-on. After retrieving her keys from Amy and figuring out the lease information, Penny and George took a cab from a Starbucks to 2311 Los Robles Avenue.

When she left for New York, she sold her car. The subways and cabs were enough to get her around the city. Now she wished she had kept her baby in storage or something. As they sat in the back seat, George would occasionally meow at Penny through his kennel. She sighed as she looked at him, trying to scratch behind his ear through the gate of the kennel.

The cab pulled up, Penny paid the driver and took her cat out of the back seat and her luggage out of the trunk. She was thankful that the elevators were working in the apartment building and she didn't have to lug her cat and suitcase up four flights of stairs. Penny opened the lobby door and smiled at the sight of the mailboxes. She pushed the elevator button to go up and the doors opened. Penny got in and pushed the button to the fourth floor. The silence was a relief. The elevator quietly hummed as it climbed to the fourth floor.

Penny had been thinking about Sheldon non-stop for the past week, mostly about the time they spent together and what it was supposed to mean now. She was sure that he didn't know that she was coming back to Pasadena. After all, they had been texting since she had left, two weeks ago and he hadn't mentioned anything. She told him about what happened with Derek, Sheldon told her that he would be lying if he told that he was sad.

When she got off the elevator, she unlocked the door and walked into 4B. She was thankful she had the foresight to hire a moving company to move most of her stuff before she arrived. She was sick of sleeping on an air mattress that she left behind and living out of the few boxes that she had sent just before she left. Penny moved through the familiar apartment, she set down her carrier and let her cat out to explore his new surroundings.

After setting up George's food and water, she sat down on the unmade bed in her bedroom and let George rub up on her ankles. As Penny snuggled with her cat, she dug her phone out of her pocket. Sheldon was now on her favorite contact list and she quickly dialed the number, waiting for him to answer. The phone rang three times before he picked up.

"Hello, Penny. To what do I owe this pleasure?" Sheldon said. Penny grinned at the sound of his voice. He sounded slightly winded.

"I was just calling to say hello. How was your Christmas- I mean Saturnalia? Its new comic book night isn't it? Did you go?" Penny asked in a flurry of questions. She bit her lip at the sound of her hurried voice. She heard his keys jingle on the other side of the phone. Quickly, she got up to look through the peephole.

"My Saturnalia was pleasant, I went to Texas and visited with my mother and sister. I also got to see my Mee Maw. As for the comic book store, I did get a chance to go." Sheldon nonchalantly explained. Penny held her breath as she watched him unlock his door and walk inside his apartment, closing the door behind him. She felt butterflies invade her stomach as she leaned her back against her front door and exhaled.

"And what are you doing now Doctor Cooper?" Penny said in a curiously seductive voice, even though she knew what he was just getting home. She heard him laugh through what she imagined to be a smirk.

"Well, I just got home from my comic book excursion, but last night I discovered I don't have enough room on my hard drive for a Linux partition on my laptop, so I was going to perform a full backup, reinitialize and then reinstall all my operating systems. However, I could spare a few moments of my time to participate in some chit chat." Sheldon told her. Penny smiled as she rifled through her oversized purse that sat on the floor beside the front door.

"Just chit chat? I thought that was boring." Penny quipped as she pulled her laptop out of her purse and clutched it against her chest with one hand.

"Penny, please. What are you up to?" Sheldon offered, sounding genuinely interested. Penny opened her door and stood outside of her old new apartment with her laptop pressed tightly against her chest. She quietly closed the door behind her so the cat wouldn't escape.

"It's funny you should mention computers, because I was having some trouble with mine and I thought maybe you could help me." Penny said as she quietly tiptoed across the hallway to 4A.

"You're asking me for tech support? What do I get in return?" He quickly asked. Penny scoffed.

"What do you mean, what do you get?" Penny questioned.

"The term you seem to be devoid of is quid pro quo. You can't get something for nothing, Penny." Sheldon said. His voice was thick with smugness and Penny couldn't help but melt a little bit inside.

"I'll come visit you." Penny coyly told him. She could practically feel him smiling through the phone.

"What seems to be the problem with your laptop?" Sheldon quickly asked. Penny raised her hand and knocked on his door three times.

"Penny can you hold on, there's someone knocking at my door." Sheldon said. She grinned.

"Sheldon." Penny said. It had been too long. Penny knocked three times more.

"Sorry can you just hold on." He said.

"Sheldon." Penny replied in a pouty voice. Penny could hear him walking toward the door. She knocked again.

"Sheldon." She said into the phone. As she finished the knocking ritual, he opened the door. The look on his face was priceless. He looked confused, excited, and relieved all at the same time. Penny hung up her phone and smiled up at him as she tucked her phone into the back pocket of her jeans.

"I was hoping that you could overclock my processor." Penny suggestively said as she raised her eyebrow at him. She had searched the internet far and wide for that gem of a pickup line. Sheldon explored her eyes with what she could only describe as wonder. It was like she was one of his equations just begging to be solved. He licked his lips and gently touched her cheek.

"Penny, are you talking nerdy to me?" He finally mustered. She grinned and grasped his hand from her cheek and held it in hers, gently squeezing his fingertips.

"Affirmative." Penny whispered as she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him softly. Sheldon held onto her hand tightly, she could sense a nervous energy between them. Penny pulled away and pressed her lips together. She attempted to etch the feeling of his lip against hers in her mind.

"Penny." Sheldon started as he took his hand from hers and brushed it through his hair. "What are you doing here?" He asked sounding utterly confused and taken aback.

"I was in the neighborhood and I thought I would drop by." Penny cheekily answered. Sheldon stared at her for a moment, his eyes darted across her face while he tried to make sense of the situation. Penny started to get the feeling that he didn't want to see her. Penny sheepishly smiled.

"I was just unpacking a few things and thought it would be nice to see you." Penny tried to clarify as she jabbed her free thumb toward 4B. Sheldon quickly nodded, Penny noticed that he was starting to relax in the shoulders.

"When did you come back?" He asked.

"Today. Are you not happy to see me?" Penny asked trying not to sound hurt. She didn't expect this reaction from him. She gripped her laptop tighter in her hand.

"Penny it's not that, I just didn't expect you and I don't particularly like surprises." Sheldon told her. He offered a quick smile. Penny nodded.

"It's ok, Sheldon. I should probably get back, my stuff isn't going to unpack itself." Penny quietly replied as she backed up a couple of steps.

"See you around." she said as she walked back to her apartment. She opened her door and before she could get back into the safety of her own apartment his voice thwarted her escape.

"Wait." Sheldon quickly said. Her heart pounded beneath her soft skin, she could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She turned around, closing her door and he quickly walked toward her. Sheldon leaned into her and kissed her. Penny ran her hand along the back of his neck and through his hair. His lips were soft as they moved against hers. Sheldon pulled away and smiled at her.

"Have a good night Sheldon." Penny offered as she opened her door and slipped away into her apartment. She touched her lips with her fingertips and smiled as her cat circled her ankles. Penny continued her evening unpacking clothes from boxes and making up her bed. She ordered some Chinese food and settled in for the evening, listening to satellite radio on her phone.

oOoOoOoOoOo

_Knock knock knock_

"Penny?" Penny jolted awake.

_Knock knock knock_

"Penny?" She brushed her hair out of her face and looked at her alarm clock. It was 8:00 am.

_Knock knock knock_

"Penny?" Penny jumped out of her bed, threw an oversized t-shirt over her naked body and rushed to the door. She had to answer it before he started another round of knocks. Penny unlatched the deadbolt and opened the door.

He stood there in a black Batman t-shirt under his old man jacket with his messenger bag slung over his broad chest. Penny licked her lips and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She looked him over and he nervously twisted the strap of his messenger bag in his hands. Penny realized that she wasn't wearing any panties and though the t-shirt she was wearing was longer, if she raised her arms, she would have probably flashed him. She felt heat sting at her cheeks and quickly realized that she was blushing.

"Sheldon, I don't have a car. I can't drive you to work." Penny sleepily started as she tried to mask her embarrassment. Sheldon frowned slightly at her and cleared his throat. His eyes travelled from her bare legs to her messy hair. Penny felt suddenly shy and averted her gaze to the floor.

"I do not require you to drive me to work, Penny. I have my own car. I got my license shortly after Leonard insisted on carpooling with Amy Farrah Fowler, but that's not the premise of this visit. The reason for my early morning visit, was to inquire about your availability tonight." He quickly rambled off. Penny took a moment to process exactly what he was yammering on about.

"My availability? For what?" Penny asked. She tried not to sound angry that he had disturbed her slumber before 11 am. Sheldon shifted his weight onto one foot.

"A date." He told her like she should have known the answer. Penny felt like her breath was trapped in her lungs. She quickly nodded.

"I'm free." She said as a soft smile pulled at the corner of her lips.

"Good. Just so you are aware, Penelope, this date _will_ be in public, so you'll have to find something more appropriate to wear." Sheldon said with a smirk. He eyed her taut thighs, letting his eyes settle on the hem of her shirt before flickng his gaze up to meet her shocked green eyes. Penny felt her blush deepen.

"I'll pick you up at 6:30." Sheldon said. Penny smiled and nodded once more. Sheldon turned and proceeded to walk down the stairs. Some habits die hard. Penny closed the door to her apartment and let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She was going on a date. A date with Dr. Sheldon Cooper. Penny let out an excited squeal and ran back to bed throwing the covers over her body and waking up George the cat in the process.


	8. Chapter 8

**So sorry for the late update, I've been pretty busy.**

**Enjoy!  
**

Penny checked the clock. It was 6:25 and Sheldon was due to knock on her door at any moment. Penny decided to wear a mauve flowing top and a pair of dark wash skinny jeans. She was in the bathroom checking her makeup and making sure her shoulder length curls were perfectly in place. She dabbed on a touch of lip gloss and made kissy lips at her cat, who sat on the lid of the toilet. As she left the bathroom and put on her cognac riding boots, a grin snuck onto her face. She couldn't wait to see Sheldon and find out what he had in store for her.

There was a knock on the door, three times followed by her name. As he continued his knocking ritual, her heart pounded in her chest. She felt incredibly nervous as she plucked her leather jacket from the back of the couch, her keys, and wristlette clutch from the coffee table and proceeded to the door. She gripped the door handle and inhaled a quick breath, opening the door at the end of his second round of knocks. Sheldon was wearing his light blue tv color bar t-shirt underneath his windbreaker jacket. Penny smiled and closed the door behind her.

"Hi Sheldon, you look nice." Penny said as she took his hand into hers. He offered a smile, but Penny saw something more. Behind his crystal clear blue eyes, Penny noticed a spark behind them that she only saw when he attempted to explain science, or the one time he tried to explain Doctor Who to her. Sheldon laced his fingers into hers and gently pressed his thumb into her palm. The pressure felt oddly comforting.

"As do you." He replied. "Shall we?" He continued as he motioned for them to leave. The two of them walked down the stairwell together holding hands. Penny's palms felt clammy and she wanted nothing more than to wipe them on her jeans, but she also didn't want to let go of his hand. She chose to ignore her impulse and hoped that he wouldn't notice how nervous she was.

Sheldon was a gentleman as they made their way through the lobby. He opened the door for her and placed his hand on the small of her back, guiding her through the lobby doors. Penny didn't know what Sheldon drove or where he had parked, so when he pulled out his keys from his pants pocket and remotely unlocked the doors to a BMW X3, her mouth dropped open.

Sheldon walked her over to his metallic silver crossover and opened the passenger door for her. Penny climbed in and was hesitant to touch anything inside. The car was obviously newer and with Sheldon's personality, would stay that way. Gently, she ran her fingertips along the leather arm rest that separated them. Sheldon got into the driver side, plugged his key into the ignition, and turned the car over.

"How expensive was your car, Sheldon! I feel like I'm going to break something." Penny said in a slightly stunned tone. Sheldon smirked as he put his car into drive and pulled away from his parking spot in front of the building. The radio softly played in the background; it was on an alternative rock station. Penny watched as he confidently moved through traffic toward their dinner destination.

"Penny I have been frugal with my money for the majority of my career, I felt that since I achieved my goal, I could splurge on something that I would be driving for years to come." Sheldon replied as he quickly shoulder checked and switched into the left lane. Penny smirked as she looked out the window. She remembered when he drove her to the hospital after she dislocated her shoulder. He was light years ahead of where he was years ago.

The two drove in silence, Sheldon kept one hand on the gear shift as he drove and Penny nonchalantly placed her hand over his. Sheldon looked over at her for a quick second and she smiled at him. Her nervousness was quickly disappearing and was being replaced with excited butterflies. While she was watching the store fronts of Pasadena pass by, she heard some familiar lyrics on the radio.

_Love sings when it transcends the bad things, _

_Have a heart and try me, _

_Cause without love I won't survive._

Penny quietly listened to the beat of the music while silently mouthing the words. She was absolutely in love with this song. It reminded her of her teenage summers, even though the song was released well after she finished high school. She listened as the instrumental break lead into the second verse.

_I'm fettered and abused, _

_Stand naked and accused, _

_Should I surface this one-man submarine?_

As Penny listened, she noticed Sheldon was quietly singing along to the lyrics. She looked over at him and caught him off guard. He quickly smiled. She couldn't tell if he was blushing, though she was certain he was. Penny licked her lips, trying to figure him out.

"What?" Sheldon quickly asked as he returned his gaze to the road. The music played on in the background, Penny narrowed her gaze at him for a moment. Sheldon Cooper didn't know who Radiohead was, so how was it possible that he knew the lyrics to an Incubus song?

"Sheldon, how do you know this song?" She asked, almost sounding defensive. She flicked her eyes to the radio in an attempt to mask whatever it was she felt inside of her. It was just intriguing that a man who listened to a Richard Feynman lecture while jogging, knew the lyrics to one of her favorite songs.

"I shouldn't have to remind you that I have a working knowledge of the entire universe and all it contains, but I have a working knowledge of the entire universe and all it contains, including song lyrics. Also, Leonard got laryngitis so I had to take his place as the lead singer in Rock Band for a week." Sheldon explained. Penny smiled. Maybe there was more to Doctor Cooper than meets the eye.

Sheldon pulled into the restaurant's parking lot, parked the car and the two made their way into the restaurant. It was a cute family owned Italian restaurant, Penny admired the coziness of the atmosphere as Sheldon spoke to the hostess about his reservation. Soon they were seated at a booth and Sheldon pulled out a travel pack of Lysol wipes from his inside coat pocket and began disinfecting the table.

Penny ordered a chicken caesar salad and Sheldon ordered spaghetti and meatballs. This date was reminiscent of the first time Penny had made spaghetti with little cut up hot dogs for him. She was actually surprised that he didn't ask for hot dogs. Penny smiled at her inner dialogue and handed the menus to the server. Sheldon softly smiled at Penny, and she nervously chewed at her bottom lip.

"So." Penny nervously started.

"So." Sheldon parroted back.

"So tell me about your Nobel Prize, Doctor Cooper. Did you get like a trophy or something?" Penny asked, liking the way his formal title rolled off her tongue. She braced herself for crazy physics talk. Just smile and nod.

"Penny, you don't get a trophy. It's not an award show. I received my Nobel Prize for successfully observing how the spontaneous magnetization of black holes in hyperspace creates self-sustaining cycles of quantum universes. I received a medal, a diploma, and prize money for my efforts in obtaining the most prestigious prize in physics." Sheldon replied. It was like he was talking about the weather or telling her what time it was. Penny tried to think about synonyms for all of the words he used, but her efforts were futile. Penny pressed her lips together and tried not to ask the question that was tugging at her.

"What does that mean?" Penny asked anyway, trying to hide her embarrassment. Sheldon placed his hand over hers and gently rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. He thought about what she was asking and Penny tried to focus on his hand.

"I proved the many-worlds theory." Sheldon said. Penny deeply inhaled. She still didn't understand. It must have shown on her face because She could see Sheldon trying to simplify it even further.

"Do you remember when you made French toast on oatmeal day and you were caterwauling in my kitchen to Shania Twain?" Sheldon asked. Penny smirked. She did remember that. The look on his face when he saw her dancing around in nothing but a men's dress shirt and a pair of panties was priceless.

"I do." Penny simply replied.

"Well then you will likely also remember the conversation we had. You asked me to dance with you, and I told you that while I subscribed to the many-worlds theory, in all of the infinite number of universes, I was dancing in none of them. It's kind of like that." Sheldon patiently told her. Penny finally got it. Sheldon proved that in another universe, he was probably a clown made of candy. The notion still freaked her out.

The two finished their dinner at the restaurant, and they climbed into Sheldon's BMW. They chatted about the possibilities of what the other Penny's in the infinite number of universes were like and if they knew the other Sheldon's. Sheldon thought that while her inquiry was elementary, the premise was completely plausible. After driving for ten minutes, Sheldon pulled into the parking lot to a mini-golf establishment. Penny and Sheldon got out and soon the mini golfing was underway.

On the fifth hole, Penny found that she was way over par and Sheldon surprisingly had a really good score. She dropped her pink ball on the starting mat and lined up her shot. Sheldon was watching her and it was making her really nervous. She brought back her putter and Sheldon cleared his throat. Penny took in a deep breath through her nose and looked back at him. His eyes darted across the course and settled on her green eyes.

"Penny, can I give you a piece of advice?" Sheldon offered. Penny rolled her eyes and stepped away from her neon ball. She walked over to him and impatiently put her hands on her hips.

"Sure." She said half sarcastically, who was he to be giving her advice about sports?

"You aren't using physics to your advantage. Here, let me show you." He said while guiding her back to her ball. Sheldon gently placed his hands on her hips and positioned her in front of the ball. His touch was light, but firm. Penny couldn't help but feel giddy inside.

He placed the putter in her hands and wrapped his arms around her, placing his hands over hers. She could feel his heart beating against her shoulder blades and his scent invaded her space. He leaned in and let out a soft breath next to her ear, causing her to shudder.

"Force equals mass times acceleration. If you hit the ball with enough force, you will get to the hole in fewer strokes." Sheldon quietly spoke in her ear. Penny quickly nodded and swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. She felt him pressing against her backside, not enough to be inappropriate, but just enough to show her that the cat was alive.

"If we take into consideration, Newton's Three Laws of Motion, we can use them to our advantage. The first law states that we need to use external force to create inertia. The second law states, F=MA, and the third law states that for every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction." Penny didn't care what he was saying anymore. She had spent too many nights alone in bed, fantasizing about him while she tried to relieve her pent up sexual frustration. Sheldon quickly moved away, leaving Penny with her building frustration. He walked midway down the green and placed his foot on the wall of the course and focused his gaze on hers.

"If you hit the ball with enough force against this wall, you should make it to the hole in only one or two strokes." Penny smirked at his terminology, though it was correct, it felt awfully dirty. She bit her lip as she aimed the ball for his foot. The ball left the starting mat, bounced off the wall and took off toward the hole. Penny watched as she got a hole-in-one. She jumped up and let out a squeal of delight. Penny dropped her club and quickly hugged Sheldon around his waist.

After her hole-in-one, she practically begged him to continue coaching her, if only just to feel his body pressed up against hers. She attentively listened to his science babble, but could only focus on how damp her panties were getting. They finished up their oddly sexualized game of mini golf and Sheldon drove them back to their apartment building.

Penny opened her door and all but dragged Sheldon in behind her, removing her jacket and then his. She quickly brought her lips to his and let the need that had been bubbling up inside of her over the past hour, boil over the surface. Sheldon got caught up in the motions because soon his tongue was touching hers as he ran his hands through her hair. Penny sat on her small couch and coaxed Sheldon on top of her while he was still firmly attached to her lips.

She could feel his arousal pressing against her aching center as she wrapped her legs around his slender waist. Penny wanted to feel his bare skin against hers, so she grasped the hem of his shirt and began to pull it up. Sheldon quickly grabbed at her hands and pulled away from their intense kiss. Penny's breaths were coming out fast and shallow. Her eyes darted across his flushed face and finally focused on his dilated eyes. Sheldon's breath was quick like hers and his tongue quickly ran across his lips to moisten them.

"I know my past actions have contradicted what I'm about to say, but I'd like to wait." He quickly said. His voice was soft, but a little hoarse and his plea came out just above a whisper. Penny took in a deep breath and nodded her head. It was probably wise to wait.

"Are you mad?" Sheldon quickly asked as he sat up on her couch. Penny shook her head and offered a smile. She softly pressed the back of her head against the seat of the couch. Penny's cat jumped up on what little free space there was on her tiny couch and rubbed his head against Sheldon's arm. Penny smiled.

"Hi there. What's your name?" Sheldon asked the cat as he brought up his hand to pet him. Penny laughed, she had almost forgotten that he had a hoard of cats at one time.

"His name is George." Penny told him. Sheldon slightly frowned. She watched as he gently scratched her tabby cat under the chin.

"What?" Penny defensively asked. He quickly realized that he must have looked upset, because he offered her a smile and averted his gaze to the floor.

"It's nothing." Sheldon reasoned. Penny looked to her cat and then to Sheldon. Then it hit her. Sheldon's dad's name was George. She felt guilty, but she knew that she shouldn't. She rubbed his forearm to get his attention.

"If you want to call him something else, I get it." Penny said. She hardly called him by his name anyway. She had an array of bizarre nicknames for him, surely Sheldon could find one to better suit his tastes. Sheldon contemplated her proposal for a moment.

"Thanks." He said as he grasped her hand into his. "I should go." He concluded as he got up off her couch, grabbed his jacket off her floor and headed toward the door. Penny sat up on her couch and gave him a small wave.

"I had a nice time." Sheldon sincerely told her. Penny smiled.

"Me too." She replied. Sheldon opened her door.

"Good night Penny." He said as he walked into the hallway.

"Good night." Penny called as he closed the door behind him. Penny flopped back down on the couch and tried not to think about how good it felt for him to be between her thighs, and instead thought about what they were going to do on their second official date.

**Also, if you have any suggestions for a second date, I'm all ears! ;)**


	9. Chapter 9

**So because I like you guys so much and I feel so bad that you didn't get an update last week, I am going to give you two this week. **

**Reviews are always appreciated and encouraged. If you need a prompt, what was your favourite line?  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

Penny spent the previous morning scouring the internet for potential jobs, she hadn't heard back from Nina, which was never a good sign. After sending her resume to a couple of places, she finally got a positive response from Cal-Tech's admissions office. They were looking for an administrative assistant and Penny really needed a job. Getting paid almost twenty bucks an hour wasn't bad either. This morning, they offered for her to come and interview for the position at 11:30 today.

Penny scrambled to get ready as she woke up late and only saw the email two hours before she was supposed to meet with the interviewer, she quickly showered and tossed on a black pencil skirt with a pair of black pumps and a pretty turquoise blouse. With an hour left, she quickly printed off a hard copy of her updated resume and left the apartment. Not wanting to be late, she took a taxi to Cal-Tech.

She arrived ten minutes ahead of schedule. Penny swelled with pride. It was a small achievement, but punctuality was not her strong suit, though she wouldn't tell the interviewer that. The interview went well, or so she thought. They told her that they would get in touch with her even if she wasn't the successful candidate. Penny decided to let Sheldon and his beautiful mind work, even though she could have easily popped by his office for a quick visit, so she called a taxi and went home.

With a free day, Penny decided to clean her apartment. She turned on some Shania and went to work. Her afternoon flew by and soon she was left with an apartment that was most definitely up to Sheldon's standards. Penny took a quick break and pulled out her phone to text Amy.

_what are you doing tonight?_

Penny quickly sent the text and waited. While she waited, her cat snuggled up on the couch beside her for a nap before his regularly scheduled nap. Penny sighed.

"What am I going to do with you, Boogaloo?" She rhetorically asked while she scratched behind his ear. Her phone buzzed back with Amy's ring tone.

_Well, since Leonard is going over to Sheldon's to play Halo, I was going to re-organize our DVD collection based on the raunchiness of the content. For example, Basic Instinct would come before Disney's The Little Mermaid. :) _

Penny laughed at her friends reply. Only she would organize her DVD collection by sexual content.

_I was thinking maybe you want to do something? You want to come over? We can drink wine and paint our nails or something._

Almost immediately, Amy sent her reply.

_I'll bring a movie._

Penny smiled at her friends reply, picked up her laptop from the coffee table and began browsing the auto trader website for a used car. She couldn't afford to take cabs everywhere in Pasadena, she needed her own car. Penny found a pretty nice 1993 Acura Integra for $2000. She contacted the seller and she told him that she could come to look at it on Sunday. Penny hung up her phone, changed into some comfy shorts and a t-shirt and watched some bad tv while she waited for her friend to arrive. Everything felt like it was getting back to normal, Penny felt at home in her old Pasadena apartment, across the hall from a man who she didn't expect to be falling for.

After two and half reruns of Two and a Half Men, Amy was knocking on Penny's door. Penny called to her friend while grabbing a bottle of wine from the fridge that the door was open. The girls situated themselves in her living room as Penny uncorked the bottle of wine, poured it into two glasses and lined up the nail polish on the coffee table. Penny picked out a punchy red color for her friend's nails as Amy put in Shakespeare in Love.

"So how was your date with Sheldon?" Amy inquired as Penny brushed the polish onto her friend's fingertips. Penny blushed.

"How do you know I went on a date with Sheldon?" Penny retorted. Amy cocked her head to the side as Penny finished off Amy's right hand.

"Penny, please." She replied. Penny rolled her eyes and took a sip of her wine to fight off a grin that was threatening to invade her face.

"It was lovely." Penny admitted as she continued painting Amy's left hand. The thought of him between her thighs made her stomach tighten with excitement. Penny felt her heart rate increase and she felt flush. Amy's eyes grew wider.

"Oh my God! Did you guys…" Amy started. She looked toward the door.

"Did you have sex with Sheldon?" Amy finally asked. Her voice was hushed, like he was in the next room or something. Penny felt her blush deepen as she finished up her friend's nails.

"No! No we didn't." Penny concluded as she tightened the cap on the polish and set it on the coffee table. She quickly licked at her lips and looked down at the floor.

"I really wanted to though." Penny finally confessed while glancing up to meet her striking blue eyes. She couldn't get him out of her brain. All she wanted was to be under him. Amy grinned and picked up her glass of wine.

"Amy did you and Sheldon ever.." Penny started. Amy quickly shook her head. Penny resisted the urge to let out a sigh of relief.

"I mean we did get physical toward the end of our relationship, but it never got as far as sex." Penny nodded. Though she was relieved, she sort of wished that she wouldn't have been his first. She had to admit though, she was glad to find out that he wasn't totally inexperienced.

The girls continued talking and Amy told Penny about hers and Leonard's colorful sex life. Penny wasn't aware that Leonard had a couple of kinks that Amy happily obliged. After their movie, Penny and Amy made their way over to Sheldon's. After lightly knocking on the door, Amy and Penny entered. Penny half expected to see all four of the boys but it was only Leonard and Sheldon.

"Where's Howard?" Penny quickly asked. Leonard adjusted his headset and continued to furiously tap his thumbs on the colorful Xbox controller buttons.

"He's at home, he mentioned today that Bernadette caught a cold from their daughter, so I banished him until he can show me two consecutive negative throat cultures spaced twelve hours apart. I've already begun my prophylactic course of antibiotics and I suggest that you do the same Penny." Sheldon told them without turning his attention away from the game. Penny looked over at Amy who gave her a knowing nod. Penny rolled her eyes and sat down on the white armchair and Amy sat on the far end of the couch next to Leonard.

After losing to Raj and his cousin Sanjay over Xbox live, the boys packed it up and put away their game. Leonard and Amy said their good byes to Penny and Sheldon, leaving them alone in his apartment. Sheldon cleared the coffee table and washed Leonard's glass in the sink. Penny stood up and walked into the kitchen and leaned her back against the island. She watched as he put away the glass in the cupboard.

"Do I really have to go and get antibiotics?" Penny asked. Sheldon put his palms on the counter on either side of Penny. She stuck her bottom lip out at him and tugged at his waist. Sheldon leaned into her, she noticed the muscles in his forearm flex underneath his skin as he supported his weight on his arms. His lips were only a few inches away from hers. Their eyes met and Penny felt the familiar tingle in her lower abdomen as he studied her closely.

"I suppose you don't have to, but I highly recommend that you do." Sheldon firmly said while inching closer to her. Penny felt her knees go weak and she closed her eyes. His lips barely brushed hers before he was pulling away. Penny opened her eyes and he was pushing himself off of the island with a satisfied smirk on his face.

She stood there as he walked back into the living room with her lips parted and her heart pounding in her chest. Who knew that Sheldon Cooper could be such a tease. Penny quickly licked her lips, shook the naughty thoughts from her mind and turned toward him. Two could play at this game.

Penny stalked into the living room. She could hear her pulse pounding in her ears. She was determined not to be his prey. Her steps were light and she gingerly sat on the couch beside him. Sheldon smiled as she looked him over. He knew exactly what he was doing to her. Sheldon wasn't as innocent as he seemed.

Penny placed her hand on his thigh and let her fingertips graze his arousal. She leaned into him and placed her other hand on his chest. She could feel his heart pounding beneath his ribcage. She licked at her lips and touched them to his earlobe. He jerked in his pants as she ran her finger along his length. Sheldon let out a breath that sounded more like a whimper.

"I know what you're trying to do Sheldon, and it isn't going to work." Penny softly whispered into his ear. She gently took his earlobe in between her teeth and playfully nibbled at his soft skin.

"The only difference is, I'm a big 'ol five and I know how to get what I want." Penny cautioned. She heard him swallow and she let her lips travel down his neck. She gently kissed and nipped at the pulse that thumped in his throat. Sheldon sighed as Penny groped at his hardness through his pants. Penny pulled away and pressed her forehead against his. His breath was soft, but it was coming out quickly. She had to pull herself away before she devoured him right there on the brown leather sofa.

Sheldon suddenly pulled her into his lap and pressed his lips to hers. His kisses were rough, frantic, and hungry. Like she was a steak and he hadn't eaten in weeks. Penny couldn't deny him. She kissed back, matching his vigor. Her hands ran through his soft hair and traveled down the back of his neck, resting on his shoulders.

Penny felt him buck his hips to gain better friction and Penny obliged. The zipper that sat atop his hardness rubbed against her through her shorts. Sheldon's hands gripped at her ass, as he pushed her harder onto him. She moaned into their kiss at the same time Sheldon did. It was incredibly hot hearing him make those primal noises. Penny let him explore her mouth with his tongue. He was eager and curious with his movements and Penny couldn't help but let herself get swept away.

Sheldon moved his mouth to her neck. He gently sucked at her soft skin while he ground himself into her. Penny couldn't help but cry out when he bit at her collarbone. Sheldon's arms snaked around her waist and she let him overpower her. He swiftly moved her from his lap and laid her down on the couch. Penny watched him as he watched her heaving chest. Things may have gotten too heated.

"Penny.." Sheldon started his breathless sentence, his eyes flicked up to meet hers. Penny licked at her lips and gently pushed him off of her. He told her that he wanted to wait. Penny had no choice but to respect his wishes. She sat up on the couch and collected her thoughts while trying to catch her breath.

"Sheldon, do you want to go on another date with me?" Penny asked him while staring at the floor. Sheldon grinned.

"I do." He replied. He seemed to be still catching his breath. Good.

"Tomorrow?" She said while catching his gaze with hers. His face was flushed and his breathing was exaggerated. His broad chest pressed against his t-shirt on every inhale. Penny smiled.

"Tomorrow." Sheldon confirmed with a slight nod of his head. Penny stood up and bit at her lip. She was going to have to take a very cold shower.

"Good I'll pick you up at noon." Penny replied as she turned on her heel and walked toward the front door. Sheldon cleared his throat and Penny turned toward him. She quickly waved goodbye and left his apartment for the safety of her own. A cold shower would do, but masturbating couldn't hurt, could it?


	10. Chapter 10

**I am on a roll! Where I found the free time this week, I will never know. Luckily for you, that means fast updates this week! Reviews are always appreciated and encouraged. I'm doing this for free, remember ;)**

**Enjoy!**

Penny woke with a start. Her head pounded with congestion and her entire body ached, right down to the tiniest of hair follicles. She tried to get up, but failed. After listening to Sheldon finish his round of knocks, she dragged her body out of bed and swallowed at the painful lump in her throat. Her illness must have come from moving to California in the winter. She was used to snow, she wasn't used to being warm and being able to wear minimal clothes.

"I'm coming!" Her voice was nasally and raw. She wrapped her comforter around her body and slowly made her way to the front door. The effort it took to unlock the deadbolt was astounding, and it even gave Sheldon time for one more round of knocks. Penny opened the door and tried to mask her illness, but her attempt was pointless. Sheldon looked her over and quickly brought the collar of his t-shirt over his nose and mouth. He took a step back and his eyes raked over her blanket-wrapped body.

"Penny, I told you that you should have gotten anti-biotics!" Sheldon scolded. Penny rolled her eyes at him. She tried to breathe through her nose but she couldn't. She re-wrapped herself in her comforter and moved back into her apartment.

"I'm fine Sheldon, I just need to take a shower and we can go." Penny said in an attempt to convince him she was healthy. Sheldon shook his head, refusing to come into her apartment. Penny flopped down on the couch giving her tired legs some rest.

"You most certainly are not 'fine'. I'll be right back." He said as he closed her door. Penny sighed. He was probably right. She felt bad because she had an awesome date planned for them and now she was going to be stuck at home. Sheldon came back moments later wearing a surgical mask with a small emergency medical kit and a journal tucked under his arm. Penny began to laugh, but started coughing instead.

Sheldon set the medical kit on the coffee table and lifted Penny's legs off of the couch and as he sat down he draped them over his lap. Penny was shocked at his bravery. She was sure he was going to quarantine himself in his apartment and make her provide him with crazy throat cultures. Sheldon unzipped the medical kit and pulled out a digital thermometer. He pulled a Lysol wipe out of a small package in the kit and disinfected his thermometer. Even though he had just disinfected it, he snapped on a pair of latex gloves as he studied his subject.

"I don't want to play doctor, Sheldon." Penny joked. She was sure he was giving her a look of bemusement, but she couldn't tell what his expression was under his ridiculous mask. He offered her his hand and she reluctantly took it. She wasn't sure she liked being treated like someone who had an outbreak of tuberculosis or something.

"Penny I need to take your temperature if I'm going to monitor your symptoms. Please sit up." He explained, his voice was slightly muffled. Penny resisted the urge to roll her eyes and sat up with some assistance. Sheldon stuck the thermometer in her ear and waited for it to beep. He read the temperature and quickly wrote it down in his journal. Penny laid back down because her head began to spin.

"Can you please describe your symptoms for me." Sheldon said in a very doctor-like tone. Penny huffed, he really was taking this too far. She sat up, flung the blanket off of her and stood up. She had to grip the couch to make sure she wasn't going to collapse onto the floor. Penny looked him over.

"I don't need to you to take care of me Sheldon, I'm fine." Penny firmly said. She wasn't sure who she was trying to convince. Sheldon stood up, picked up her comforter and wrapped it around her tank-top and shorts clad body. He was firm with her as he sat her back on the couch. She wasn't going to admit it to him, but she liked take-charge Sheldon. He began writing in his journal again.

"Patient is suffering from irritability and may be delirious, be sure to monitor…." Sheldon said as he was writing. Penny frowned and snatched the journal from his hands. She took the pen and began writing down her symptoms. Penny didn't really notice his hand writing before, but it was very precise and neat. Penny ensured her writing was bubbly and she even drew little hearts over her I's and J's. She gave him back his notebook and flipped on the tv.

"Have you eaten anything?" Sheldon asked. Penny shook her head. She was feeling a little bit hungry. Sheldon got up off the couch and searched through her cupboards. Penny was actually grateful that he was taking care of her. She turned the channel to an NFL playoff game and waited for Sheldon to come back with some nourishment. George snuggled up on the blanket next to Penny, he probably just wanted to be close to the body heat that her slight fever was emitting.

Sheldon came back with two bowls of chicken noodle soup for their lunch as it was past noon. Penny didnt realize she was starving until she could physically see the soup in the bowl. He set their bowls down and assisted Penny up. She took the hot soup in her hands and ate. She looked over at Sheldon who seemed to be in a slight predicament, he couldn't eat his soup through his mask. Penny smiled.

"It might help if you take off that mask." Penny offered up the obvious solution. Sheldon shot her a look that said 'You think I didn't think of that?'. He sighed and adversely tore off the mask. Penny smiled at the little imprints that it left on his cheeks. The two ate in silence as they watched the football game on mute.

Sheldon took their empty bowls and rinsed them in the sink. Penny wished her dad was here to make his home remedy for her. He was always the one to take care of her when she was sick and it was pretty much like how Sheldon was taking care of her, minus the mask and medical kit.

"Sheldon?" Penny asked as he seemed to get carried away cleaning her kitchen. He walked over to her and she tried her best to not look desperate.

"Can you make me a sick tea?" Penny asked. Sheldon furrowed his brow at her.

"What's a sick tea?" He asked. Penny remembered when he explained soft kitty to her. This felt like the same thing.

"It's warm milk with a pinch of cinnamon and honey. It helps me feel better when I'm sick." She explained. She felt a little bit embarrassed that she let that piece of information slip. She didn't like being seen as vulnerable or weak, but there she was pleading for a drink that would definitely make her feel better.

"I can." He replied. Penny smiled.

"You have to heat the milk, but not in the microwave, you have to do it in a pot or else it won't taste right." Penny explained. Sheldon nodded at her request and left her on the couch again. Penny was almost asleep when Sheldon returned with her 'tea'. He handed her the mug and draped her legs over his as he sat beside her on the couch.

"You know that's not really tea. Tea is made by pouring boiling water over cured Camellia Sinensis plant. After water, it is the most consumed beverage in the world. Herbal teas don't actually use the Camellia Sinensis plant, it is made often with a mixture of dried herbs and fruit." Sheldon rattled off. Penny smiled into her mug.

"Is this like your Soft Kitty?" Sheldon asked. Penny pressed her lips together and set her mug on the coffee table. She didn't like to open up to people. Sheldon was people. Sheldon was also Sheldon. There was no reason she couldn't open up to him, but she still felt like she had to keep her cards held to her chest. For a long time, she didn't show her hand. Even with Leonard, though he didn't expect her to as long as he was getting laid.

The question Sheldon asked still hung in the air. Though the question seemed harmless, it also seemed deeply personal. Penny searched his face. It was soft and innocent. He wouldn't get where she came from. Penny sharply inhaled because she forgot to breathe for a moment. She quickly nodded her head. Not wanting to fully let him in, she picked up her mug and buried her face in it.

"Was it something your mom did for you when you were sick?" Sheldon implored. Penny didn't really like thinking about her mom. She had spent years trying to forgive her for not loving and supporting her the way her father did. Forgiveness was sometimes hard to come by. Penny shook her head.

"No, it's something my dad did for me. Sorry, I don't really want to talk about it." Penny softly told him. Sheldon nodded as he rubbed at her legs.

"I actually taught my mother Soft Kitty. It is originally a children's song called 'Warm Kitty', written by Edith Newlin, but I didn't like how it sounded." Sheldon divulged. Penny felt guilty that he could so easily share tidbits of his past with her. Penny couldn't. She felt too embarrassed coming from a family of crazy people. Her dad was really the only normal person in her family, but he still treated her like a boy. She didn't want to tell Sheldon that her mother is an alcoholic, her brother cooks meth and her sister had a baby at sixteen with a total chauvinistic redneck, though she was sure he already thought that with the way he hated on Nebraska.

"Sheldon will you sing me Soft Kitty?" Penny asked. She turned around and laid her head in his lap. She looked up at Sheldon who had a soft smile plastered on his face. Penny couldn't help but smile back. She took his hand and gently placed it into her hair. Sheldon began singing.

"Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur." Penny interrupted him.

"You have to play with my hair." She said. Sheldon obliged her request and began running his hands through her hair. Sheldon cleared his throat. He always had to start from the top.

"Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur." He sang. Penny closed her eyes and focused on his hand running through her hair.

"Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr purr purr." Sheldon finished. Penny kept her eyes closed, she was beginning to feel sleepy.

"Thanks for taking care of me." Penny sleepily said. Sheldon just continued running his fingers through her hair and eventually she drifted off to sleep.

o.o.o.o.o.o

Penny woke up in her bed and Sheldon was gone. She looked at the clock, it was 9:30 pm. Time had gotten away from her. She was feeling a little bit better so she got up out of bed and flicked on the lamp on her table. She saw a note, a glass of water, and some cold medicine. She peered out into the living room, Sheldon had apparently done her laundry and disinfected her apartment. It looked like a dark Ikea catalogue spread with a basket of clean clothes on the floor beside the couch. After quickly going to the bathroom, and washing her hands, she hurried back to her note. She hastily opened it up and began to read.

_Penny, _

_Please drink the water and take some of the cold medicine I left alongside this note. I will be back in the morning to monitor your temperature and symptoms. _

_Sheldon_

Penny smiled and clutched the note to her chest. She had really underestimated him. After taking some medication and drinking the water down, she picked up her phone and sent a text to Sheldon.

_Come back :(_

He quickly texted back.

_You need to rest. _

Penny frowned.

_Can you come and play with my hair again?_

Penny didn't receive a response from him. Instead she heard her front door being unlocked, opening and being locked again. A set of keys were being set on the bookshelf beside her door and the sound of footsteps padding toward her bedroom made her stomach flutter. Sheldon appeared in her bedroom doorway, the soft light from the lamp flooded over him. He was wearing a pair of red flannel pyjamas and a pair of slippers. Penny smiled at him and patted the empty spot on the mattress next to her. Sheldon gave her a quick smile and made his way to her bed. Sheldon moved the blankets aside and got into Penny's bed with her. She quickly snuggled up to him as he got comfortable on the mattress.

"I'm only agreeing to this because you're sick and I'm leaving back to my own bed after you've fallen asleep." Sheldon said as he placed his long fingers in her hair. Penny grinned against his chest and nodded her head. She listened to his heart rhythmically beat under his ribcage and she let her head bob up and down as he steadily inhaled and exhaled. The two cuddled in her bed as he lulled her back to sleep. Sheldon never made it back to his apartment.


	11. Chapter 11

**I hope your weekends were splendid! I'm going to be bogged down again with papers, but I will try to update at least once next week (Mon-Sun). Reviews are appreciated.**

**Enjoy!  
**

The rest of the weekend raced by, Penny fought off her cold and Sheldon avoided her. He didn't want to risk further contamination as he was already feeling a persistent tickle in his throat, so after dousing himself with vitamin c and receiving confirmation that Howard was not sick, he spent Sunday with the boys playing paintball.

Penny spent her Sunday and half of her Monday in front of the tv watching chick flicks in her pajamas and nursing herself back to health. In the early afternoon Penny received a call from Cal-tech. They offered her the administrative assistant position and asked if she could start the following Monday. Penny accepted their offer and she tried to play down her excitement, but couldn't help smiling into the phone.

She hung up the phone and quickly rattled a text off to her physicist boyfriend who was probably busy at work, thinking about stuff.

_Hey. Guess what._

Penny set down her phone and began cleaning up her little sick-induced nest around the couch. She heard Sheldon's light saber ring tone sound and after she tossed her tissues in the trash, she grabbed her phone from the coffee table to read his reply.

_You're not really Penny, you're a rogue time traveling shape shifter and you've traveled back in time to convince me to come with you to Boston to assist Walter Bishop in a Fringe Division case?_

Penny let out a loud drawn out sigh. She shook her head as she typed on her touch screen.

_No._

Her phone buzzed in her hands. She didn't understand how he seemed to not grasp the concept of sarcasm, yet could unintentionally administer it without even trying. Maybe that wasn't sarcasm, maybe that was just Sheldon.

_The probability of me correctly guessing what you are going to tell me is astronomical in a world of infinite possibilities. Would you consider just telling me?_

Penny smiled, he could be so convincing.

_I got a job as an admin assistant. I start next Monday._

She looked at their previous text conversations as she waited for him to reply. It was funny how he flirted. He talked about science, but in a different way. It was almost as if he was softening it for her. Penny's phone buzzed.

_Good! Though it's not in your respective field, I'm sure you will perform admirably. On a separate subject, I would like to reschedule our date that was annulled due to your illness. _

Penny grinned. She had originally planned for them to go to Travel Town, an outdoor train museum. She wanted to see the look on his face when she told him where they were going.

_Yes! How about Saturday? I promise I won't be sick again. _

Sheldon quickly texted her back.

_It's a date. I trust that you will keep my interests in mind  
_

After fighting off a smirk, she wondered what he thought they were going to do. She couldn't wait. Penny bit at her lip while typing out her suggestive response.

_Don't worry, I will keep all of your interests in mind. Do you know what date 3 implies?_

Penny pressed her lips together. She couldn't stop thinking about their make out session on his couch last week. He was invading her dreams. It was bad. She woke up in the early mornings with her heart pounding and the feeling of his lips on her body, but sadly they were always just dreams. She longed to feel his mouth on her most intimate area again.

_I am lead to believe that the third date suggests that there will be coitus or perhaps some heavy petting at the close of the evening. However, aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself? After all, this will only be our second date._

As she read over his text, she felt her heart rate accelerate a little bit. The suggestion of heavy petting with Sheldon was making her heart go pitter patter. It raced at the thought of him suggesting they have sex.

_First off, it's sex. Not coitus. Secondly, Saturday was kind of like a date. We had lunch, talked, and you even spent the night. That sounds like a date to me._

Penny smiled at her reasoning. She could pretty much justify anything. Sheldon texted back.

_Penny, I was taking care of you while you were sick. I wouldn't classify that as a date. However I do appreciate your attempt at contextomy and I will concede that it was half of a date. _

Penny quickly looked up the definition of contextomy on her phone and found that it was talking out of context. She grinned at his offering of a half of a date. There was no way that she was going to not take his offer. Sheldon quickly sent off another text.

_I have to get back to work. The mysteries of the universe aren't going to solve themselves. xx_

Penny studied the end of his text. Sheldon has never sent her an email or text that had not gone through rigorous spell checking. Penny's curiosity got the best of her.

_What's xx?_

Sheldon quickly responded.

_They're kisses…_

As she imagined the look of confusion that was surely adorning his soft features, he followed up his text with a link to a Wikipedia article about the disambiguation of XOXO. Penny couldn't help but swell with emotions. She was starting to realize that she was falling in love with him. She could never tell him though. She felt a cold tingle run down her spine and she shook out the memories that assaulted her mind. Penny continued to clean her apartment, allowing her mind to wander to better places every so often.

o.o.o.o.o.o

_Penny walked through a dark hallway toward a door. The light that shone underneath created an illuminated path. Silence consumed her. The sound of the soles of her sweaty feet sticking to the floor conquered her ears. Her hand reached out for the door knob. It seemed to burn brightly in the darkness. Her fingertips gently grazed the cold metal. It was delicate and felt like it would crumble under her touch. Penny slowly twisted the soft gold fixture and pressed through the door._

_Her eyes slowly adjusted to the bright light. Green pastures and trees came through the light. The colors were vivid and filled her with intense joy. Penny slowly walked across the pasture. The blades of grass were sharp against her bare feet. The air smelled sweet, like it had just rained. A figure in the distance came into view and she felt the urge to run toward it._

_Penny began to sprint across the pasture, quickly enclosing on the figure. The wind rushed past her and her hair whipped across her face. Her gaze intensified on the figure as she moved closer toward it. Her lungs burned as she ran, but she pressed on. Her pulse was thick and heavy and took over her throat. She felt like she was swallowing her own heart._

_The figure became clearer. Penny slowed down and walked toward a man. He was tall and his hair was dark. He had his back turned toward her and he was looking out on the horizon. Penny slowly approached him. As she got closer he seemed to get younger. Penny was soon standing behind a boy who was no older than fifteen._

_She hesitated to reach her hand out to touch him, but her fingers slowly inched toward his shoulder. Before she could touch him, he turned around. It was Sheldon. He smiled at her and grasped her hand. Penny searched his face just as he had searched the horizon. She slowly brought her hand to his cheek and brushed her thumb across his full bottom lip. His bright blue eyes were full of sorrow and longing. He gently kissed the heel of her palm._

_"It's not safe here." He said to her. Penny looked around. It was just the two of them. Birds flitted about in the oak tree that was rooted into the earth about ten feet away._

_"Sheldon, I love you." She softly said. He gripped her hand tighter as his eyes flicked to something behind her._

_"I'm sorry Penny." He said more urgently. Penny felt her other wrist being forcefully gripped. Her heart pounded and her veins filled with adrenaline._

_As the force dragged her away, she fought to hold onto his hand. There was nothing he could do._

_"I'm sorry Penny." He called out after her. Penny watched as he became smaller and smaller as she was being dragged further and further away. Penny closed her eyes and when she opened them again, she was sitting on a cold stone floor. The only light in the room was coming from a small window on the ceiling._

_"Say it." A familiar voice said. Penny felt her eyes fill with tears. Her head jerked back at the force of the back of his hand connecting with her cheek._

_"SAY IT!" He bellowed. Penny's voice hitched in her throat. As he raised his hand to her again. _

_"I love you Kurt." Penny spat. _

Penny woke with a shriek stuck in her throat. She fought to push off the blankets that were suffocating her. She let out a sob as she clutched her knees to her chest. Her vision became blurry with tears, she let them fall freely to her pillow. Penny sat up and glanced at the clock, it was 4:23. She slowly rocked on the mattress and as she let out a breath she had been holding, she tried her best to forget that dream. She knew it was not real, not anymore. She was far away from the hands of her ex-boyfriend Kurt. Though he didn't hit her or punch her, like in her dreams, he did often belittle her and pinch her hard enough to leave bruises behind.

It didn't matter if that was no longer her reality, that dream felt real, her emotions were real. Penny brushed the tears off her face with her fingers and sprang out of bed. She quickly walked out to her quiet living room and checked that she was securely locked inside. She gently touched the deadbolt. It was cold and solid. It was not going to fail her. Penny felt her entire body buzzing, she took a few heavy breaths and walked back to bed.

The harder she tried to shake it, the more of the dream she remembered. The more she remembered, the sicker she felt. Kurt ruined love for her. Every time she felt like she could love someone, she would have these horrible dreams reminding her of the last and only time she told another person she loved them. Surely, she could overcome her deepest fears and darkest secrets. She had to. If she couldn't, where would that leave her?

Penny laid down in her bed that had gone cold. She reached out and softly pet her small companion that lay dead asleep in her bed. He sleepily stretched out and then relaxed back into his deep slumber. Penny wished that it could be that easy for her. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw a made up adolescent Sheldon apologizing to her. It was comforting, but unsettling at the same time. Penny closed her eyes and thought about Soft Kitty. She softly sang the comforting song until she felt sleepy enough to try to go back to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry for the heaviness, sometimes life has a grey overcast. I promise we'll see some blue skies later in the week.**

**Enjoy!**

The rest of the week went by quickly for Penny. She spent her Tuesday car shopping. She scoured the car ads on craigslist and kijiji and after a few calls that she regretted making, she finally found a seller who didn't seem like they were a psycho killer. Penny purchased a yellow 2000 VW Golf. The seller was a nice woman who was about Penny's age. She was upgrading to a SUV because it could hold her son's soccer team.

She spent her Wednesday clothing shopping. She purchased clothes that weren't t-shirts and jeans for her new job. She couldn't wear the same pencil skirt and one pair of dress pants that she owned every day. Plus it gave her an excuse to splurge on shoes. After spending some of her money, she spent her Wednesday evening with Sheldon, Leonard and Amy at the comic book store. They all went to Sheldon's after and watched a classic sci-fi movie called Forbidden Planet. Sheldon reminded Penny that it wasn't a date, she reluctantly agreed. After the movie had ended and Amy and Leonard left, Penny decided that instead of torturing herself she would go home too.

Her dreams weren't as bad, but they were still there. They were still unsettling. Penny just wished she could get over this thing that had so much power over her, but she found that it was hard. Though if she did have a bad dream, Sheldon would appear in them, telling her that it was going to be okay. It made her feel better, like she knew that he would protect her. No matter how bad things got, she knew he would be there.

Saturday came fast. Penny stood in front of Doctor Sheldon Cooper's door to take him on their second and a half official date. Penny knocked on just under the 4A sign and waited. Normally, she would have just come in, but today she was on official date business. Sheldon opened the door and his blue eyes stood out against his black batman t-shirt and light blue thermal. Penny grinned at him.

"Hi." She quickly said while taking his hand. She gave him a gentle tug and his body obeyed her command by leaving his apartment.

"Hello" Sheldon replied as he fished his keys out of his pocket and locked his deadbolt. He grasped her hand and the two walked down the stairs together.

"So where are you taking me?" Sheldon asked as they approached the second floor. Penny sensed a little bit of uncertainty in his voice. She lightly squeezed his fingers to reassure him.

"It's a surprise." Penny teased as they made their way down the stairs.

"Penny, you know how I feel about surprises." Sheldon whined. Penny smiled up at him. His face told her that he was worried. She coaxed him past the lobby doors and toward her car out front.

"Can you give me a hint as to what the afternoon holds in store for us?" Sheldon all but begged. Penny got into her car and Sheldon followed suit. Penny looked over at him while she turned her car over and gave him a pouty face.

"I promise you'll like it." Penny assured him. Sheldon fought off a small twitch that pulled at his left eye. Penny fought off the smile that was pulling at her lips. She began to drive and Sheldon looked out the window. The drive to Travel Town was quiet, but Penny didn't mind. It was much better than playing the element game he tried to play with her once, she wondered if he realized that she actually never played the game.

The silence between them was a comfortable one. It was a silence that Penny felt like she could be herself, she didn't have to pretend to be interested in what her date was telling her to only get into her pants. Sheldon placed his hand on her thigh and Penny was quick to cover his hand with her own. Sheldon broke the silence between them.

"Fine, I will accept your premise, but just so you know, I like comic books, trains, koalas- Good Lord! You're taking me to the zoo!" Sheldon exclaimed. He looked at her with wild excitement. Penny tried her hardest not to laugh.

"No, we aren't going to the zoo. It's better, I promise." Penny assured him. Sheldon seemed a bit disappointed, but he kept his hand on her thigh anyway. They continued their drive in silence.

After driving through LA, Penny made it to their destination. Sheldon grinned when he saw the sign. She barely had time to park her car before he was getting out and dragging her to the entrance. They began walking through the museum and Sheldon excitedly chattered on about the trains, what kind they were, what year they were built. If it were anyone else, Penny wasn't sure it would be the same.

They walked up to a train car and Sheldon studied it. Penny watched him and it seemed like the gears were clicking into place inside his mind. He gripped her hand into his. His touch was purposeful. He turned his attention to her and gave her a quick smile. Penny couldn't help but smile back. His shameless love for trains was kind of addicting. She didn't understand why the other guys always harped on him for loving trains so much. Penny decided that she liked train-loving Sheldon.

"Penny, I must say that you know me very well. I really do appreciate your efforts. Thank you for coming here with me." He said. Penny smiled and stepped closer toward him. She placed her hand on his chest to steady herself, stood on her tip toes and pressed her lips against his. Sheldon slightly stiffened under their kiss, Penny took his hand and placed it on her hip. Penny broke their innocent kiss and planted her feet firmly on the ground. She realized that it was the first time she kissed him in public, not only that, he actually let her. She blushed and turned toward the train.

"Did you know that this type of train hauls thousands of tonnes of coal through Nebraska, your beloved home state, every day?" Sheldon asked. Penny had a vague idea about where he was going with it. It was time to pry into Penny's past.

"Tell me about growing up in Nebraska." Sheldon asked. Penny felt herself begin to close off. Her internal alarms were going off, signalling that he was treading on territory that he shouldn't be treading on.

"I guess it's like growing up anywhere else, Sheldon. It probably wasn't very different than growing up in Texas." She replied. They walked away from the train moving forward through the museum.

"Penny, it is highly improbable that you had the same upbringing as I did. I can assure you that the Texan mindset if quite different from that of middle of America." Sheldon said. Penny raised her eyebrows at him. Sheldon gave her a knowing look.

"I think that growing up as a genius in east Texas is quite a bit different than growing up on a farm in Nebraska." Sheldon told her. Penny was beginning to feel defensive.

"Sheldon, I was in junior rodeo. Don't make me kick your ass in front of all these nice people." Penny said, trying to make it sound like a playful warning. Sheldon slightly frowned.

"Penny, my mother, Missy and my Mee Maw were all I had. My childhood, what little there was of it, was unpleasant to say the least." Sheldon told her. Penny crossed her arms, she wanted to tell him that her childhood was just as unpleasant, but she couldn't. She quickly licked her lips and took a calming breath through the nose and exhaled through her mouth.

"Sheldon, I don't want to talk about it. Can we just keep going? I'm having fun and I don't want to talk about who had it worse as a kid." She softly said. She stared at his shoes. Dark grey sketchers. His laces were almost perfect. Penny flicked her eyes up to meet his. He stepped toward her and placed a chaste kiss on her lips.

"My apologies Penny." He simply said as he offered her his arm. Penny graciously took it and the two continued on their date. After they rode the train around the museum, Sheldon offered to take her for lunch. They stuck with the train theme and went to Carney's in Hollywood. Penny and Sheldon talked about Doctor Who, Penny kept calling him Doctor Who and Sheldon patiently told her that he was The Doctor, not Doctor Who. After their lunch, they drove home and Penny was trying to explain the beanie baby fad of the 1990s, Sheldon told her about the general concept of a fad from a sociological perspective.

Sheldon walked Penny to her door. She leaned her back against the door and looked up into Sheldon's face. His eyes darted across her features and she felt guilty for pushing him away earlier. She wanted to let him in, but she spent so many years building up her walls that it was hard to break them down. He laced his fingers into hers and Penny could see his beautiful mind working.

"I wanted to apologize if I upset you earlier, it wasn't my intention." Sheldon started. Penny nodded. Even though she didn't want to have this conversation again, she forced herself to.

"All I want is to get a little bit closer to you, I want you to tell me things that no one else knows. I want you to feel comfortable telling me whatever is on your mind." Sheldon continued. Penny nodded again. She knew that she would have to let him in, she knew that he could tell she was resistant.

"I know. I just need you to be patient with me." Penny explained. She was going to deconstruct herself one brick at a time if she had to, maybe admitting that she was hard to get close to was the first step. Sheldon's tongue darted out and he quickly moistened his lips. He nodded just as she had. Penny smiled. Maybe it didn't have to be so hard. Sheldon softly kissed her. She let him wash over her. She felt relieved. Sheldon pulled away and smiled at her.

"Would by chance want to join me for laundry night?" Sheldon quickly asked. Penny didn't hesitate.

"I would love you join you for laundry night, 8:15, right?" She confirmed. Sheldon softly smiled at her.

"Yes, 8:15." He said. Sheldon quickly kissed her again. The softness of his lips lingered on her own.

"See you then, Penny." He said as he walked toward his apartment. Penny let the excitement build up inside of her as she watched him disappear into his apartment. She quickly made her way into her own apartment and began collecting clothing that she could toss in the washer.


	13. Chapter 13

Penny left her apartment with her basket of half worn, half unworn clothes. She didn't have enough to make a full load, so she unfolded some t-shirts and made it look like she had worn enough clothes to do her laundry. It was 8:20, Penny knew that he was already downstairs. She could picture him checking his watch and huffing about her lateness. She quickly walked through the lobby toward the laundry room. She felt nervous even though she had done this a thousand times before.

She stood in the door to the laundry room and watched Sheldon as he filled a washer and carefully measured out his laundry detergent. Penny cleared her throat and walked to the washer beside him. She looked at him as she set her basket down on the washer beside her washer. He continued doing his laundry.

"You're late." Sheldon lightly scolded, clearly enunciating his words. Penny watched him as he poured his laundry detergent into the wash and closed the lid. As soon as the lid closed, his eyes snapped up to meet hers. Penny felt like her body was on fire. The way he looked at her made her feel like she could melt onto the floor.

"Sorry." She quietly said as she opened the lid to her washer and stuffed her clothes inside. A pair of turquoise panties fell to the floor and Sheldon was quick to pick them up for her. Penny blushed as he handed them over to her. Penny didn't hesitate to grasp at them, but when she went to take them out of his hand he wouldn't let go. They stared intensely at each other for a few moments before Sheldon let go with a sly grin decorating his lips. Penny blushed even further and stuffed them into the wash, dumped some detergent over her clothes and started the machine.

Penny jumped up onto the washer and let her legs dangle over the edge. She could feel the machine filling up underneath her. Sheldon quickly moved between her legs and carefully placed his hands on her hips. Penny smiled as he studied her face.

"You know the washing machine isn't a chair, right?" Sheldon sardonically asked her. Penny rolled her eyes and softly ran her finger tips up his forearms, gently gripping at his bicep, and finally settling on his shoulders. She pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes at him for a moment. She smiled.

"I know." She simply replied. Sheldon nodded and he gripped at her hips a little tighter. Penny licked her lips. Sheldon wasn't one for chit chat any way. She ran her hand through his hair and gently held the back of his neck as she kissed his lips. Sheldon softly kissed her back as he allowed his hands to explore the small of her back.

Penny knew that things could get carried away, again, but she didn't care. She let him slide his hands underneath her shirt so he could further explore her soft skin with his hands. His fingertips were cold against her warm skin, a shudder ran down her spine and she could feel her nipples harden. She kissed him harder, pulling him further into her. Her tongue crashed against his as he softly parted his lips. Penny felt him pulling her lower body further toward him, she wrapped her legs around his waist to steady herself.

Sheldon's hands were quick to move down her back, past her hips and grip at her thighs. Penny softly sighed into their kiss as she felt her body tingling. Sheldon kept one hand on her thigh and the other traveled up her body, he hesitantly hovered over her t-shirt covered breast before he placed his hand at her side. His hand rubbed her ribs as he gently sucked on her lower lip. Sheldon's teeth lightly grazed her soft flesh as he pulled away from their heated kiss.

Penny tried to catch her breath as Sheldon placed his lips just under her earlobe. His hand twisted into her hair and Penny felt her heart pounding in her chest. Sheldon softly kissed at her neck and it drove Penny crazy. She licked her kiss swollen lips, they ached to be kissed again. She pulled away from him and brought her lips to his ear. Penny gently teased him as she licked and nibbled at his earlobe.

"Oh God." Sheldon whispered. Penny grinned against his neck, she resumed kissing at his ear lobe, softly letting out a moan into his ear as his hands dug into her. Sheldon pulled away and looked Penny in the face. His expression was vacant, but his eyes were wild. Penny had seen this look many times. She knew that if they didn't stop, they wouldn't be able to. Penny tried to control her breathing. She watched as Sheldon's chest heaved while he tried to do the same.

"Penny-" Sheldon began. Penny quickly interrupted.

"I know, I'm sorry." She sheepishly apologized. Sheldon licked at his lips and continued.

"Penny, I think that we need to stop doing this to ourselves. It's getting to be too much an-" He started to explain, but Penny interrupted him again.

"Sheldon, I'm sorry. I'll behave. I promise." Penny said as she held up her two fingers to give him the Scouts honor. Sheldon softly smiled at her gesture. He pressed his forehead to hers. She could hear his soft shallow breath and she could smell his fresh scent. It was oddly intimate sharing the same oxygen with someone like this.

"What if I don't want you to behave?" Sheldon softly asked as he pulled away to look into her face. Penny sat speechless on the washer. Sheldon searched her face for something.

"Then I don't have to behave." Penny answered. She bit at her lip as he continued his search. He brushed her hair behind her ear and cupped her face as he kissed her. Penny felt dizzy. Maybe she was dreaming. It was another Sheldon sex dream and she was in her apartment asleep on the couch. Sheldon gently coaxed her off of the washer and led her toward the door with her still firmly attached to his lips. Penny stopped and looked into his face. It was soft and full of this need to be satisfied.

"What about the laundry?" Penny asked. As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. It was almost like she was sabotaging this experience. Sheldon grasped her hand tighter.

"Forget the laundry." Sheldon said as he lead her out of the laundry room toward the elevator. As soon as the door opened, they got in. Like magnets, they found each other. Penny couldn't get over the fact that Sheldon was taking her upstairs to have his way with her. It reminded her of his party, only this time he was the boyfriend. There was nothing standing in her way.

The two stumbled into Sheldon's apartment and as soon as the door closed, he picked her up and walked toward his bedroom. His kisses became more urgent as he walked down the hallway. Penny was surprised with his physical strength, though perhaps it was one of those things where the adrenaline gives you super human strength. Penny pushed the thoughts out of her head as Sheldon placed her onto his bed. His room was dimly lit by his night light, but Penny liked it. She thought it added to the mood.

She watched him as he watched her. His breaths were ragged like hers. She noticed the outline of his arousal in his pants and she couldn't help but grin. She hoped that wasn't a phaser in his pocket. Sheldon moved between her legs and pushed up her t-shirt. His lips pressed softly against her abdomen in slow agonizing kisses. Penny quickly removed her shirt. She wasn't wearing a bra.

Sheldon ran the tip of his tongue along the swell of her breast. Penny softly moaned as he licked at her nipple. A chill ran through her body, peppering her flesh with goose bumps. Sheldon grinned and continued his way along her body. He kissed at her collarbone and nibbled at her neck, while Penny reached for the button on his pants.

Penny unbuttoned his pants and began pulling them past his hips, down his thighs. Sheldon sat on his heels and quickly removed his shirts. Penny's eyes traveled from the trail of hair the disappeared into his briefs to his solid core. Penny was shocked at the amount of muscles on this skinny nerd. Though she had seen his chest before, this was the first time she was actually _seeing_ him. He was full of sharp angles and edges. His clavicle jutted out above his pectoral muscles and his hip bones pressed against his flesh.

Penny licked at her suddenly dry lips as she stared at his arousal. It was straining against his briefs. Penny reached out to touch him and he quickly stopped her. He grasped her wrist and pinned it above her head. Penny grinned into the kiss that he planted on her lips. His chest brushed against hers and she tried getting out of his grip, but failed. Sheldon was quick to pull her sweatpants down her legs and off her feet with his free hand.

"You don't have a boyfriend do you?" He teasingly asked against her lips.

"I do, he's a Nobel Prize winning physicist. Maybe you know him." Penny whispered. As Sheldon kissed her, he pressed his body against hers, the only thing separating them were his briefs. His arousal strained against hers and Sheldon moaned into their kiss. Penny's head was swimming, she wanted to feel him inside of her, her whole body ached for the sensation. Sheldon pulled away and went digging through his nightstand. He pulled out a condom and clutched it in his palm as he took off his watch and tossed it on the table next to the lamp.

Penny gently tugged at his briefs, letting his hardness spring free from their confines. He quickly removed them and Penny stared with wide eyes. He was even more impressive outside of the briefs. Penny studied him intently. Sheldon was a tall guy, and Penny was happy with the way he was proportioned. She watched as he opened the condom and slid it onto himself. He brought himself closer to her, his lips hovered over her body. Penny let out a shaky breath as he brushed his hardness against her slick folds.

She could feel him press against her entrance. Sheldon stared into her eyes and Penny felt like she was doing this for the first time. She nervously licked her lips and felt him pressing into her. She stretched around his swollen tip as he entered her. Penny watched his expression as he filled her with his arousal. His face was soft and his eyes were closed. He lightly bit at his lip and she was sure he was logging everything into his memory.

Penny felt him slowly move in and out of her and it felt amazing. She could feel him throbbing inside of her, he would pull out only to thrust back inside of her. Penny moaned as Sheldon found a comfortable rhythm and he buried his face into her hair. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him closer to her as they worked their way toward bliss.

Sheldon managed to wrap his arms around her and he pulled her up, into his lap. Penny sat on him with her legs wrapped around him, she slowly worked herself along his length. Penny felt the room start to spin and the edges of her vision began to blur. She could feel her climax building and she wanted to get there with Sheldon. He held her close as he thrust into her, meeting her halfway.

"Oh God Sheldon." Penny groaned into his neck. Their chests heaved against each other as they fought to breathe. Their bodies stuck to one another as they writhed perfectly in sync together. Sheldon kissed at her neck and pulled her harder onto himself. His breath was shallow, he softly whispered 'Oh God' in her ear over and over as he was getting closer to his orgasm. Penny was close too, she cried out and buried him deep within her.

Sheldon pushed her back on the bed and selfishly drove into her. She let him. Penny watched his face as he came, his brows furrowed and he bit at his lip. Penny felt him thrust deeply into her one last time, he ground himself against her clit and that sent her over the edge. As he twitched inside of her, she felt her walls tighten around him. Penny came just as he finished.

Sheldon collapsed on the bed beside Penny. He stared at her, examining her flushed face. His eyes traveled down her body, she glistened with perspiration. Penny turned to him and smiled. He breathed heavily, offering her a soft half smile in return. They studied each other in silence.

"I'm sorry." Sheldon apologized. Penny softly raised her eyebrows at him.

"Don't be, that was amazing." She reassured him. Sheldon smirked.

"No, I mean I'm sorry that I made you wait for so long." He restated. Penny nodded. She wasn't sorry, the sexual tension between them built for so long that it made the sex explosive. She turned on her side and placed her hand on his chest. He placed his hand over top of hers and gently ran his fingers over the back of her hand.

"This is slightly embarrassing, but I've known you for years and I just didn't want to be another guy who didn't come back." Sheldon told her. Penny licked her lips. His eyes met hers.

"I wanted to be the guy." He further explained. Penny couldn't help but grin. She gently kissed his cheek and laid her temple on his shoulder.

"Don't be sorry that we waited. It was totally worth it." Penny told him. The two laid in silence for a few moments. Sheldon held onto her hand and kissed her forehead.

"Sheldon, growing up in Nebraska sucked. I was treated like a boy until I hit puberty, I was always dad's farm-hand because my brother was too busy hanging out with a bunch of stoners and my sister, who was eight years older than me, got pregnant at sixteen. I may not be a genius, but I was the only person smart enough to leave that hell hole as soon I could." Penny finished. Sheldon was quiet. She knew that he was probably judging her and she instantly regretted her decision of opening up to him.

"Penny?" Sheldon softly asked. Penny propped herself up on her elbow. His blue eyes settled on her green eyes and he softly smiled at her.

"Thank you for sharing that with me." He said. Penny returned his smile and leaned in to softly kiss him. It was quick and chaste, but when he kissed her back, she knew she was done for, he was definitely the guy.

"I want you to know that I would never be critical of you, Penny. I'm here for you, you know that right?" He continued. Penny nodded.

"I know that." She confirmed. Sheldon smiled.

"Good." He said as he turned his attention toward the ceiling. Penny laid back down and stared up at the ceiling too. Her mind wandered to the laundry.

"I wonder if the washers are done." Penny wondered out loud. Sheldon quickly sat up in his bed and grasped his watch off of his night table.

"Shit." He said as he pulled off his condom and tossed it in the trash bin beside his dresser. He quickly put on a pair of flannel pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt. He tossed his flannel pajama top onto his bed as he searched his closet for his robe. Penny was quick to pull his pajama top over her naked body. Sheldon turned around and eyed her. He pressed his lips together and threw his robe on, grabbed a fist full of change off his dresser and left to attend to the laundry.

Penny was quite sure that she had never heard him swear before, and she was beginning to think that maybe she broke him. It didn't matter though. She liked the Sheldon who threw his caution to the wind and let a few profanities slip out. She smiled as she walked into the kitchen wearing his pajama top. She picked up the kettle, filled it with water and turned on the stove to heat the water. She pulled out two mugs from the cupboard and waited for his return. Her mind wandered to the amazing sex that they had together and how spur of the moment it seemed.

The kettle whistled and Sheldon returned. He took off his robe and tossed it on a stool at the island. He wore his t-shirt and pajama bottoms. It was so sexy. Penny had never seen him only wear a t-shirt, he always wore a long sleeved shirt underneath. Penny put two peppermint tea bags into the mugs and poured the hot water over them. She set a mug in front of Sheldon and watched his bicep flex as he wrapped his hands around the warm mug. His gaze caught hers and he smirked.

"Comfortable?" He asked. Penny nodded.

"Yep." She replied, popping the 'P'.

The two drank their tea in silence, Penny decided to move their tea party over to the living room. After all, she had about an hour before her clothes were dry. Sheldon put on the Firefly blueray, and they began watching the episodes with commentary. Penny could get accustomed to doing her laundry with Sheldon again. She almost forgot how much she missed laundry night and liked it even more, now there was a twist to it.

After finshing their laundry and staying up to watch Firefly, Penny told him that she should be going. Sheldon offered a better solution, he proposed that she stayed the night. Penny agreed and they ended up having sex twice more that night. One brick at a time, and the walls could slowly come down.


	14. Chapter 14

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It felt like the air had been forced from her lungs. Penny couldn't breathe. As she was being torn from her dream and thrust into reality, she shot awake and sat up in bed. Her breathing was ragged and she felt a cold sweat linger on the back of her neck. Penny rubbed at her eyes and tried to recall her dream, but it kept slipping from her memory.

She quickly realized that she wasn't in her own bed. She looked down at Sheldon and he became restless. He shifted around on the mattress until he sleepily looked up at her. He rolled onto his stomach and rested his forehead on his forearm. Penny sunk back into his bed and pulled the covers over her breasts.

"Is everything alright?" He sleepily mumbled into his pillow. Penny looked over at him as he looked at her. Penny quickly nodded.

"It was just a bad dream, I'm ok." Penny said. Her voice sounded small. She stared at his ceiling trying to ignore him rolling around beside her. He eventually rolled onto his side and motioned for her to snuggle with him. Penny smiled and moved closer to him. She pressed her shoulder blades into his chest and he tucked his knees into hers. The hair on his chest tickled her back, she ignored it. His arm wrapped around her waist, he buried his face into her hair and breathed in the scent of her green apple shampoo.

"Your hair smells nice." He told her hair as he breathed in a steady rhythm.

"Thanks." Penny said as she placed one of her hands underneath the pillow and the other on his hand that was sprawled across her bare stomach.

"You know that dreaming is just your brains way of filing away information into your long and short term memory. Though your primitive brain is active as you dream, so is your frontal lobe, which controls emotion, memory, and experiences." He murmured into her hair. He gently placed a kiss in the crook of her neck and held her close.

Penny listened as he fell back asleep. She tried to close her eyes, but couldn't. She breathed in the clean scent of his sheets and tried to focus on breathing. Penny closed her eyes and eventually drifted back to sleep, safely in Sheldon's arms.

Penny woke up again, this time it was because of the light that peeked through his bedroom window. Penny sat up in his bed and ran her hand across the sheets where he had been sleeping the night before. She was actually waking up in Sheldon's bed. This was real.

Penny pushed aside the covers and got out of his bed. It was 8 in the morning. She noticed that he left behind his flannel pajama shirt for her to wear. She smiled and quickly put it on after tying her hair up into a messy ponytail. She slowly padded down the hall, into the kitchen. Sheldon was reading a magazine at the kitchen island, drinking a tea.

His eyes shifted from the magazine to her general direction. He took in the sight of her wearing his pajama top and smiled. Penny looked down at her bare legs, this shirt was practically a dress. She returned his smile and headed for the coffee pot. To her surprise, there was a mug waiting with a half pot of coffee made for her. Penny filled her mug and leaned against the island. She looked at the cover of his magazine, of course it had to do with physics.

"What'cha reading?" Penny said in a sing-song voice as she took a walk over to the fridge to retrieve some milk. Sheldon looked up from his article momentarily. Penny grinned at him. He was wearing his white t-shirt and flannel bottoms. She still thought it was incredibly sexy. Sheldon put down his magazine, finished off his tea and got up to rinse his mug in the sink.

"I was reading an article called Neutrino-Less Double Beta Decay and Particle Physics." He said as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. Penny leaned into his hug.

"Sounds… exciting." Penny offered. Sheldon smirked at her. She knew that he knew she didn't know what he was talking about. She took a sip of her coffee and didn't offer any further 'insights'.

"It wasn't. I can assure you that it was something I didn't already know and it's not like he has a Nobel Prize or anything." Sheldon began as he moved away from her. Penny smiled.

"Are you hungry?" He asked. Penny felt her stomach respond to his question by growling. She nodded her head. Sheldon pulled out a carton of eggs, it reminded her of the time she took him to the grocery store. That was quite the adventure.

Sheldon began making her some breakfast, Penny watched as he scrambled her eggs and put them into a pan. She was kind of surprised that he could cook anything. She began day dreaming, she thought that it would be nice to wake up like this every morning, even though it wasn't realistic. She imagined some of her knick knacks cluttering the surfaces of his apartment and she couldn't help but thinking he would look way cuter with a pink spatula.

Her daydream bubble was popped when he placed her breakfast in front of her. Penny took a bite and they were literally the best scrambled eggs that she had ever eaten. Sheldon watched her as she ate.

"Where did you learn to cook like that Sheldon?" Penny asked halfway through her breakfast. Sheldon cleaned up his mess as he talked to her.

"My Mee Maw taught me how to cook quite a few things and my mother taught me how to shoot, strip, stuff, and bake a turkey when I was nine." Sheldon told her. Penny smiled. She could imagine spending the holidays with him. She wondered what his grandmother was like. Penny finished up her eggs and rinsed her plate in the sink.

"I'm going to take a shower." Sheldon said as he walked toward his bathroom. Penny followed him. When he reached the bathroom Penny quickly kissed him on the lips.

"I should probably get going Sweetie. My cat is probably starving to death." Penny concluded.

"I was going to invite you to join me." Sheldon said as he raised his eyebrows and gripped at the shirt Penny was wearing. Penny blushed.

"As tempting as that sounds, I really should go." Penny said. Sheldon looked a little bit disappointed and nodded his head.

"Alright then, have a pleasant day Penny." He said as she turned on her heel and walked toward his bedroom. She got dressed and made his bed. She knew he would probably re-make it, but the gesture would probably make him smile.

Penny left his apartment and walked into hers. She fed her cat and picked up her phone from the coffee table. She had little to no battery life, a missed text from Amy and a missed call from Nina. Penny brought her phone with her into her bedroom and plugged in her phone to charge while she showered.

She wasn't excited to find out what her agent was calling her about, her pilot was probably a no-go. It had already been a month since she had sent it to her. Calling back could wait. Penny was on cloud nine and she wasn't really in the mood to hear bad news. She jumped in the shower and let the warm water engulf her body. As she washed her hair, she thought about the sex she had with Sheldon.

It was amazing. It was good the first time, but the second and third time, they really got a feel for each other's rhythms. Penny had good sex with other men, but the sex with Sheldon was different. It meant something more than anything she had ever experienced. Suddenly she was regretting the fact that she declined his invite into his shower. Penny pushed the thoughts of him out of her mind and finished up in her shower.

She quickly got ready and grabbed her phone. It had charged to an acceptable 65%. She read Amy's text.

_Hey Bestie. I was hoping that you were available for lunch. My treat._

Penny couldn't say no to lunch with her best friend. Plus, it was a free lunch with her best friend. The offer was impossible to resist. The girls made plans to meet at a cute café that made homemade soups and sandwiches.

o.o.o.o.o.o

Penny sipped on her Italian soda as she waited for her tomato bisque and grilled cheese sandwich to come. The girls started with light gossip. Apparently Raj secured a research grant for Cal-tech and he would be moving back to California with his wife in tow, Amy heard the news from Leonard, who heard it from Howard, who talked to Raj. Penny felt excited. The whole group would be back in Pasadena. It was comforting. The talk moved on to sex.

"So Leonard and I role played last night. I assumed the role of Lieutenant Marlena Moreau and Leonard took on the role of Captain Kirk. The sex was stellar, as always." Amy said with a grin. Penny smiled back. For some reason, she didn't mind hearing about Amy's escapades with Leonard. Maybe it had something to do with her getting her own freak on.

"Get it?" Amy asked. Penny opened her mouth to answer but Amy interrupted.

"The sex was _stellar_, like a star? Like Star Trek role playing…" Amy said. Penny smiled and nodded her head.

"Got it." Penny said. Their food arrived and Penny placed her spoon into her creamy soup. She stirred it around for a moment and looked up at Amy.

"Amy I have to tell you something." Penny started. Amy leaned in closer as if Penny were about to tell her a secret.

"Sheldon and I had sex last night." Penny said in a hushed voice. Amy's eyes grew as wide as her smile. Penny couldn't help but smile back.

"And… How was it?" Amy curiously asked. Penny let her mind wander to the night before. Every moan, every kiss, every touch flooded her mind. It sent a tingle down her spine and Penny shivered.

"That good, huh?" Amy said. Penny grinned and nodded.

"That good." She confirmed. Though it was nice to think about the way he felt, all she could think about was how he made her feel emotionally.

"I have to say, I'm slightly jealous that you are sleeping with a Nobel Prizer laureate." Amy confessed. Penny looked at her with confusion.

"It's no big deal. I mean he got a medal, and a paper, and a bit of cash." Penny brushed it off. Amy smiled.

"A bit of cash? Penny please, your boyfriend is loaded." Amy told her. This garnered another puzzled look from Penny.

"What do you mean loaded?" Penny asked. Amy let out a laugh. She genuinely found this amusing.

"Penny, Sheldon's 'bit of cash' is more like 1.3 million dollars." Amy said with a small smile on her face. Penny practically choked on her soda.

"Excuse me?" Penny choked out. Amy laughed even harder. Penny took a moment to let it register that Sheldon was indeed 'loaded'.

"I have to tell you something else." Penny quickly said. Amy leaned in further if it was at all possible.

"I think I'm falling in love with him. And it's not because you just told me I'm dating Ritchie Rich." Penny told her friend. Amy sat there shocked. Penny felt kind of like an idiot for saying anything.

"In all of the years I have known you, I have never heard you say those words about anyone. Do you have a delirious fever?" Amy teasingly asked her. Penny stuck her tongue out.

"Sheldon is the robot that isn't capable of love remember?" Penny teased back. Amy took a bite of her sandwich and Penny continued.

"Seriously though. No one has made me feel the way that he does." Penny said. Amy nodded and wiped at her mouth with a napkin.

"The only logical solution is that you have to tell him." Amy said, in a matter-of-fact tone. Penny's heart stopped for a second. Tell him.

"I don't think so." Penny quickly interjected. Amy cocked her head.

"Why not? If that's what you feel, why hide it?" Amy asked. Penny dropped her gaze to her soup. She dipped her sandwich in the soup and took a bite. Penny thought about Amy's question as she chewed. Why hide it? The answer was simple, if she didn't tell him, she couldn't get hurt.

"It's scary." Penny softly confessed. Amy smirked.

"You're fearless Penny. Do you remember when you moved to New York? That was a very brave thing to do. I don't see why you are going to let your feelings get the best of you." Amy countered. Penny pursed her lips together.

"It's still scary.' She childishly said. Amy offered her a warm smile. The girls finished their lunch and Penny considered Amy's advice. Could she tell him, would it even be worth it? What if he didn't say it back? What if things fell apart, they could never go back to being friends. Not after those words left her lips. What if it changed them? Would it be for the better? Penny wasn't ready. She needed more time to make sure that's really how she felt.


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey all, I hope your weekends were fantastic! Thank you all for the reviews and favourites/follows. **

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Penny arrived home from her lunch turned shopping excursion with Amy and settled in for the evening to watch some Sunday television. She changed into a cute pair of shorts and a t-shirt. After flipping to the cooking channel, Penny grabbed herself a diet coke from the fridge and settled on the couch. Her mind kept going back to her confession earlier in the day. Was she really falling for Sheldon? Every fiber in her being screamed yes, but there was something holding her back. She knew what it was, she would just have to find the courage to get over it. Fifteen minutes into a show about crazy restaurants, she was interrupted by Sheldon's knock.

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Penny." He called from the other side of her front door. She sighed and couldn't help but smile to herself.

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Penny." He called again. Penny swiftly got off the couch and glided to the door. Her hand hovered over the door knob as she waited for his final knock.

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Penny." He called one last time. Penny quickly opened her door and smiled up at him. He quickly snatched his hand from the knocking position and clutched the laundry basket he was holding closer to his hip. Penny quickly scanned the items in the basket. They were hers. He mimicked her expression. She cocked her head slightly and so did he. Penny pressed her lips together.

"Hey Sheldon, what's up?" She asked in a casual tone. His smile deepened. Penny moved to the side to allow him access to her apartment. He came in without hesitation, closing the door behind him.

"Hello Penny, I was just coming by because you forgot your laundry in my room this morning." He said while setting the basket on the floor. Penny grinned and embraced him. His touch was light. He rested his hands on her back while she hugged him.

"My knight in shining armor. How will I ever repay you?" She playfully said into his chest. She looked up into his face and saw a perplexed look on his face. She traced small circles into his lower back with her fingertips.

"I am neither armored, nor have I been knighted, also I'm not sure that my returning your laundry serves any form of payment. It's not like I am giving the laundry as a gift." Sheldon quickly said trying to decode her statement. Penny grasped his hand into hers and quietly led him to her bedroom.

"Oh but I think it does." She coyly countered as she sat him on her bed. Sheldon placed his hands on her backside and watched her as she stared into his bright blue eyes and ran her fingers through his hair. Penny gently knelt in between his legs and quickly worked at his pants. His eyes grew wide when he realized what she was about to do.

"Penny, what are you doing?" He quickly asked as he took her busy hands into his. Penny smirked and ignored him. She quickly batted his hands away and continued taking off his pants and briefs. She quickly tugged them down his thighs and let them rest just below his knees.

"Relax." She cooed as she took his semi hard member into her hands. He licked at his lips. Penny looked up into his face, he reminded her of a deer looking for an escape route. Penny thought that this made her the mountain lion. She began placing small kisses along his thighs as she ran her hand along his shaft.

"What you are about to do is highly unsanitary. Please control your urges and refrain-" Sheldon began protesting, but as quickly as the words fell from his lips, Penny reassured him that everything would be fine.

"Just go with it Sheldon." Penny whispered as her lips brushed against his swollen tip. She licked at the precum on his head and watched as his eyes rolled back into his head. Sheldon swallowed his further protests and he nodded his head. Penny grinned and continued.

She let her tongue glide over his arousal and a muffled sound escaped his throat. Her lips wrapped around him and she gently sucked on his hardness. Sheldon unconsciously ran his fingertips through her hair, coaxing her further onto him. Penny let him grasp at her ponytail as she took him further into her mouth. She could feel him throbbing as she allowed him to press at the back of her throat.

"Oh god." Sheldon whispered as Penny slowly made her way back up to the tip of his arousal. She could feel her panties begin to dampen, the thought of giving him such pleasure turned her on to no end, but this wasn't for her. Penny moaned as she took him back into her hot mouth. This caused Sheldon to grip tighter on her pony tail and buck his hips. Penny allowed him to press at the back of her throat once more. Sheldon gripped at her comforter with his free hand and grunted as Penny deep throated him.

She could feel him pulsating, she knew he was about to come. Penny softly raked her teeth across his shaft as she pressed a finger into his perineum. Sheldon groaned and let his seed spill across her tongue. Penny was quick to swallow his offering. She gingerly wiped at the corners of her mouth and Sheldon flopped back on her bed. Penny stood up, ignoring her own arousal and smiled down at her spent boyfriend. Sheldon studied her ceiling as he tried to piece together what just happened. Penny walked toward the bathroom and allowed him to process the information for a minute.

She loaded her toothbrush up with toothpaste and began to brush, not because he tasted bad, but because she knew he would ask her to. After she rinsed, she watched him walk up behind her in the mirror. His expression was soft and he looked utterly satisfied. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she took a swig of antiseptic mouthwash, swished it around and spat it in the sink. Their eyes met in the mirror as Penny wiped at her mouth with a wash cloth, she quickly smiled at Sheldon. He smiled back and placed a small kiss onto her temple. Penny turned around and placed her lips against his, chastely kissing him.

"That wasn't so bad, was it? And I even brushed my teeth." Penny said with a quick raise of her eyebrows. Sheldon nodded.

"It wasn't _so bad_." He teasingly agreed. Penny took his hand and began to lead him to the couch.

"However, next time I will request that you rinse before _and _after." He concluded with a smug smirk on his face. Oh, Sheldon the germophobe. Penny quickly shot him a look as they took their seats on her couch. Sheldon settled and Penny was quick to snuggle up with him. They watched some cook off show together in silence. Sheldon gently rubbed at her arm with his thumb and Penny pressed her head into his chest.

"Penny." He said, breaking the silence between them. The words that followed seemed to be trapped in his throat. She sat up and looked into his face. It was like he wanted to talk, but couldn't. He moistened his lips and took in a steady breath.

"You know that I love you, right?" Sheldon asked. Penny felt her stomach twist up into a gigantic knot. Did she just hear him right? Penny felt her defenses go into over-drive. Maybe she could play this off like he was kidding.

"You're funny." She grabbed at her almost full can of diet coke and quickly took it into the kitchen. Sheldon watched her as she began cleaning up and putting dishes into the sink. Penny could feel her stomach tense up and she felt short of breath. Sheldon stood up and walked into the kitchen. Penny ignored him.

"Penny, I'm not kidding. You will know that I'm kidding when I playfully say 'Bazinga'. I love you." He restated. Penny licked at her lips. Things were moving too fast.

"Sheldon I don't think you know what you're saying." Penny offered as she picked up a glass from the counter. She tried to avoid looking directly at him, but when his gaze caught hers, he looked sad and confused. Penny placed the glass into the sink and tried to push past him. He solidly stood before her.

"Things are moving really fast. I think maybe we should spend some time apart." Penny quickly said, not caring if it was really the opposite of what she was feeling. As her eyes started to fill with tears, Penny pressed her lips together and turned around. She couldn't let him see her cry.

"Penny, I don't understand. Are you breaking up with me?" Sheldon asked, his voice sounded different. He sounded lost and hurt. Penny hated that she made him feel like that. She quickly wiped away the tears that had fallen onto her cheeks.

"I don't know, Sheldon. I just- I need time. I need to be alone." She said with a shaky voice as she began to walk away. Sheldon was quick to stop her. He grasped her wrist and she quickly turned around. Her eyes shone with tears. His eyes darted across her face.

"Do you think that it's been easy for me? Do you think that I relish in telling people about my personal life? Well, in case you need to think about that, I don't. I don't just open up to people." He said as he tugged her closer to him. Penny licked at her lips as her tears fell onto her cheeks.

"I didn't plan on falling in love with you, Penny. I didn't plan on telling you details about my life, but it happened." He continued. Penny sniffled back her emotions. He was right, she didn't even consider that opening up to her might have been hard for him. Sheldon let go of her wrist.

"I don't need you to say it back, but you can't just keep pushing me away. You have to give this a chance." He reasoned. Penny nodded her head and felt the tears well up in her eyes again. She knew how she felt, but she was terrified to admit it. Penny took his hand into hers.

"Sheldon, I need more time, I need to know that's how I really feel before I say it. The last person I said it to used it to manipulate me and emotionally abuse me. It's just.. it's really hard for me to open up." She quietly explained as she let her emotions flow freely. She choked back a sob and Sheldon pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her. Penny tried to hold back, but it became too much, so she cried into his t-shirt.

"Penny, I had no idea. I don't want you to ever think that I would do something like that." He softly said into her hair. He kissed the top of her head and smoothed her hair back with his hand. Penny held on tightly, she was sure if she were to let go, she would collapse on the floor.

"I know that you wouldn't do that. I'm just scared. It's stupid." Penny openly admitted. It felt really good to say what was on her mind. Sheldon hugged her tightly and Penny felt safe. She felt finally felt like she could tell him everything. It was like the rock she had been living under had been lifted and she was seeing daylight for the first time in a long time. Sheldon pulled back and wiped at the tears on her face with his thumb. Penny weakly smiled.

"I need you to know that I care for you and I really want to make this work. I need you to try." He said. Penny quickly nodded. It was truly bizarre, she had expected him to be the one to emotionally recede, but here she was agreeing to be more open with the robot man who she thought wasn't capable of love.

"I want to make this work too, Sheldon. I'm sorry for being so crazy." She apologized. Sheldon quickly kissed her forehead and tucked her loose hair behind her ears.

"It's ok, my mail carrier once told me that 'bitches be crazy'." He told her. She couldn't help but smile at Sheldon.

They sat on the couch and spent the rest of the evening flipping between a special on National Geographic about black holes and Cupcake Wars. After their shows, Penny invited Sheldon to spend the night with her and despite them both having to work in the morning, Sheldon obliged her request. They spent a couple hours past Sheldon's bed time talking. Penny told him about junior rodeo and about her abusive relationship with Kurt. Sheldon told her about his Mee Maw and how his father was an alcoholic. Penny's cat snuggled in between them once they were asleep. Penny dreamed about being a princess who fought fire breathing dragons with her knight, Sir Sheldor.


	16. Chapter 16

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The week passed by in a flash, Penny started her new job and was busy learning everything she needed to do. Everyone seemed friendly enough and she even had lunch with Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard on Wednesday. By the time the weekend rolled around Penny just wanted to sleep, but over their Wednesday lunch they decided that they should go to the movies on Saturday.

A version of Star Wars: A New Hope was showing, it had fifteen seconds of digitally enhanced, unseen footage. Penny was thankful the girls would be coming. Howard stated that it would be 'like a double date, squared to the degree of awesome.' Sheldon told him that those weren't valid numbers and that he was concerned for the safety of our future astronauts.

After getting a blue icee for Sheldon, some popcorn and a diet coke, they walked into the dark theater. Since they were there fairly early, they were able to find six seats together. Sheldon tried to protest that the seats weren't in the acoustic sweet spot of the theater and everyone told him that he was being a crazy person. Penny sat on the end closest to the wall, next to Sheldon who sat next to Leonard. She gently patted his forearm as she leaned into him.

"I'll show you my acoustic sweet spot." Penny whispered into his ear. She gently bit at his ear lobe and pulled away. He smirked at her. He leaned into her and Penny was eager to hear what he had to say.

"Though your mildly suggestive innuendo doesn't really make sense, I appreciate the effort." He whispered into her ear. He pulled away and offered her a small smile. Penny smiled back, how he could make condescension sound sexy, she would never know. Sheldon turned his attention toward the screen as the lights dimmed and the theater became quiet. Penny wasn't sure that she could take another viewing of Star Wars, so she waited patiently as the movie began.

She let him finish his icee and then made her move. Penny gently grasped at his thigh, startling Sheldon. He jumped under her touch and looked at her hand in the dark. Penny gently moved her thumb in slow, lazy circles along his leg. Sheldon turned his attention away from the movie and looked at Penny. She offered a suggestive smile and he placed his hand over hers.

He quickly shook his head, kissed her quickly on the lips and returned his attention back to the movie. Penny grasped his hand into hers and placed it on her thigh instead. As she watched, Sheldon rubbed at her thigh. She grinned to herself as he began slowly working his way up. Sheldon leaned in as he pressed his fingertips against her clit through her jeans. Penny gasped. Sheldon quietly shushed her, Penny closed her eyes.

"You don't even know what's happening in this movie, do you?" He whispered into her ear as her slowly and inconspicuously rubbed at her through her jeans. Penny fought off a moan and wished they weren't in a movie theater. She put her hand over his and placed it back on her thigh as she leaned in to reply.

"Sheldon, I have seen this movie like a billion times. Luke buys R2D2 and C-3PO from a robot garage sale and then Obi-Wan teaches Luke about the force and Luke gets his very own light saber. Then they go and save Princess Leia from the Death Star." Penny said, which made Sheldon laugh. Penny smiled to herself as they continued to watch the movie. As they watched, Sheldon continued to tease. Penny tried to fend him off, but it was exciting and felt really good to be so naughty. She never thought that Sheldon would be the type of guy to get frisky at the movies.

The movie was soon over and Penny felt like she was going to explode. Everyone exited the theater and stood together for a moment. The boys discussed their extra fifteen seconds of footage and the girls talked to Bernadette, it seemed like they hadn't spoken in ages.

As the conversation died down, Penny's gaze met Sheldon's. He had a smirk displayed on his face and Penny couldn't help but smile back. She quickly grasped his hand into hers and silently urged him to take her home. Everyone said their good byes and Penny and Sheldon left the group.

"I don't think I'll ever get over that sight." Penny overheard Howard say as they headed toward the door. They walked out to the street and began to walk a couple of blocks to his car. The theater only had street parking and even though they were there early, they struggled to find a close spot. As they walked toward Sheldon's car, Penny gripped his hand a little tighter. The wind was cool and tickled the back of her neck.

She thought about taking him home and getting into bed with him, but then thought that maybe they could do their laundry together and drink tea instead. The thought made her smile to herself. Domestic Sheldon and Penny or Shenny as Howard called them. She looked up at Sheldon and flashed her smile at him. He smiled back and put his hand on her lower back to guide her the rest of the way to his car. As they rounded the corner, they heard footsteps behind them.

"Excuse me, I think you dropped this." A man's voice called out behind them, Penny began checking her pockets and she quickly turned around. The man was wearing a dark hooded sweat shirt with the hood pulled up over his head and his hands stuffed in the pockets, he was pretty thin and about Penny's height. She couldn't make out any discernible facial features as he used the shadows of his hood and the dark alley he stood beside to his advantage. Penny looked him up and down and realized that she hadn't dropped anything. Sheldon looked down at her and she looked up at him with a worried look on her face.

"Look, you two seem like nice people. Just give me your wallets and I'll be on my way." The man said. His voice was husky and raw, like he had been smoking for the majority of his life. Penny bit at her lip as Sheldon took out his wallet and obediently tossed it in front of the man in the dark hoodie. He quickly rifled through his Flash wallet and pulled out three crinkly dollar bills. Sheldon always took his credit cards and debit cards out of his wallet, only taking exact cash just in case of situations like this occurring. This was the first time it had ever happened.

"Seriously? Three fucking dollars? And what is this? A fucking justice league card? What are you? Eight?" The man asked as he stuffed the bills into his pocket and tossed Sheldon's wallet on the ground. He looked Penny over and she silently sized him up. Was she actually considering going junior rodeo on his ass?

"Give me your purse Blondie." The man impatiently said. Penny licked at her lips, quickly looked at Sheldon and then back to the man. She could take him, she was sure of it. Her heart hammered in her chest and she could feel the blood flowing through her veins. She clutched her hands tighter around her purse and tried to formulate a plan of attack. Suddenly the man pulled out a small revolver from his pocket and Penny froze. She couldn't take that on. Fuck.

"I said give me your purse, you stupid girl!" The man shouted at her. Her breath quickened and as desperately as she wanted to give her stuff over to him, she couldn't. She just stood there paralyzed. It was like everything was falling away from her and all she could focus on was the barrel of his gun staring back at her. She could hear Sheldon talking to her, pleading for her to just give him the purse, but it sounded like he was underwater. His voice was muffled and he sounded very far away. She knew what she should do, but couldn't.

It was like it happened in slow motion. Penny heard the man yell something and then watched his gun jerk back in his hand. Penny felt her shoulder getting hit, at first it felt like being punched really hard, but then the pain transformed into a burning sensation, like she was being prodded with a hot iron poker. Her body followed the force of the bullet and she fell to the ground. Her ears rang and she felt like she was on fire. This was it, this is how she was going to die. As she studied the brick on the building next to her, she felt her body being shaken.

Sheldon turned her onto her back and she could see that he was talking to her but she couldn't hear him. His mouth was moving and nothing was coming out. Penny slowly blinked up at him. Everything was silent. The burning feeling was replaced with a numbness that Penny had felt before. It was like her mind was sober, but her body was intoxicated. Penny watched as Sheldon reached down, she tried to follow his hand but couldn't move her head at that angle. She watched as he pulled back his hand, his fingertips were covered in her blood. Penny studied his face, he was still shouting at her. His eyes were wide and she could just see the gears grinding in his head. She prayed that his apocalypse survival plans included taking care of bullet wounds.

"Penny!" Sheldon frantically shouted. Suddenly the noise of the street filled her ears. The look on his face was wild. He quickly ripped off his jacket and took off his t-shirt leaving his thermal on. Blood stained his thermal as his hands grazed the fabric. He haphazardly folded his t-shirt and pressed it to her shoulder. Thank God for endorphins. Sheldon hastily tore his cellphone from his pants pocket and dialed 9-1-1. Penny swallowed, she pressed the back of her head into the sidewalk and listened to Sheldon talk on the phone. She was glad he put it on speaker phone.

"9-1-1, what's your emergency?" The lady on the other end of the phone asked. Sheldon took in a shaky breath and brushed the tears out of his eyes with the back of his hand while he still clutched his phone. Penny could feel the pressure on her shoulder from his other hand pressing his t-shirt against her wound. It didn't hurt, it felt like nothing, just pressure.

"She's been shot! We need someone here now!" He tried to calmly shout into the phone. His voice was panic stricken and his Texan accent came through. Penny felt like it was getting harder to breathe, she tried to take in as deep of a breath as she could but it burned her lungs. Sheldon told the woman their location and she stayed on the line with him. Penny grasped at his hand with her functional hand.

"Penny, you've been shot. An ambulance is on the way." Sheldon calmly told her. All she could so was nod her head. She watched as tears fell from his eyes onto her body. She felt like crying too, but couldn't. Penny swallowed hard and tried to focus on her breathing. It was definitely taking more effort just to get a lungful of air.

"Your body is going into shock. You're going to be ok, ok?" He half asked, half told her. He quickly wiped at his nose with his sleeve, placed his cell phone on her chest and touched her cheek with his now free hand. Penny licked her lips and frantically looked around at her surroundings. Tears stung her eyes and she let them fall down her temples, into her hair.

"Sheldon, you can't leave me." Penny finally said, the way it came out sounded more like a desperate plea. Penny bit at her lip. Sheldon nodded as he wiped his tears on his shoulder. She watched as his breath hitched in his throat.

"I'm not going anywhere. They'll be here any minute." He assured her as he looked down the street for the ambulance. Penny could hear sirens in the distance.

"You can't let me die. Ok?" She asked. He quickly nodded, tears streamed down his face. Penny took her free hand and placed it over his. He quickly placed his lips against hers and softly kissed her. Penny closed her eyes and let him wash over her.

"I promise." He said as he pulled away from her. Penny had to say it in case there was no coming back from this. She loved him and the thought of never saying those words to him broke her heart.

"Sheldon, I love you. If something happens, I need you to know that." Penny said, her voice was tired and weak. Penny felt the edges of her vision fade to black and she felt like she was just slipping further into the darkness. The one thing she heard before she passed out was Sheldon reciting a prayer for her.


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorry for the curve ball, hopefully this makes up for it. You guys are awesome. Thanks for the reviews, favourites, and follows. I really do appreciate all of your support.**

**Enjoy! :)  
**

As she aroused from her deep sleep, her eyes strained against the bright light. This was it. She was dead and now she was waiting at the pearly gates. Too bad she probably wouldn't get in, seeing as how she disobeyed the whole no sex before marriage thing. Penny rubbed at her eyes with her right hand. Her vision came into focus and she looked past the cheap venetian blinds of her hospital room window and stared out into the world for a moment. Her gaze quickly shifted around the room and was quickly met with the pleasant smile of her father, Wyatt.

"Hey Slugger." He softly said. He looked very tired and his eyes glossed over with tears. Penny was thankful. She hadn't died. The soreness of her left shoulder took over and she winced as she attempted to sit up in her uncomfortable bed.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Penny asked, her voice came out sounding groggy and strained. She swallowed at her dry mouth and cleared her throat. Her dad offered her his hand and she took it without hesitation. He smiled at her and gently rubbed the back of her hand.

"Sheldon told me what happened, I took the next flight out. I was so worried about you. You're my little girl and I love you very much Penny." He told her. Penny was so glad he was here. She was also so glad that she was here. She strained to look at her bandaged shoulder, ignoring the pain that radiated when she did so.

The door opened and Sheldon came in with two cups of coffee. He looked tired as well. It looked like he hadn't slept for days. His five o'clock shadow turned into a light hipster beard and his hair was ruffled and awry. Penny couldn't help it, she beamed at him and when his gaze met hers, his eyes lit up.

"Penny!" He exclaimed. Wyatt looked at the two of them and gave Penny a knowing smile. He stood up, took a cup of coffee out of Sheldon's hand and quietly walked toward the door.

"I'm just gunna.." He said with a pointed finger as he left the room. Sheldon sat in the chair that Wyatt had abandoned, he set his coffee down and grasped her hand.

"Hi." She softly said as he laced his fingers into hers and placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand.

"Hi." He replied, his voice was deep and confident. Penny smiled at him. The two just sat together, thankful that they had made it out of the whole ordeal in one piece.

"I was so worried about you." Sheldon told her. Penny nodded, she felt overwhelmed and wanted to cry. She held back her tears and listened to him speak.

"When they said that you needed surgery, I lost it. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't leave you, so I stayed." He explained. Penny gripped his hand tighter.

"You hate hospitals though." She reminded him. He let out a small laugh brought on by nerves and a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Yeah, I really do." He confirmed. Penny laughed then grimaced at the shooting pain in her arm. She swallowed and then met his cool blue eyes again.

"Thank you, Sheldon." She quietly said. He smiled at her and brushed her hair off her forehead. He placed his hand on her cheek and softly ran his thumb along her bottom lip.

"Penny, I would do anything for you. I wish it were me, I wish that I could have done something… I love you so much and I don't know what I would have done if I lost you." He sadly stated. Penny licked at her lips, she mustered up the courage to pour her heart out to him. Again.

"I love you too. I know that I said it before, but I don't want you to think that I was just saying it to say it or because I lost a lot of blood or whatever. I love you Sheldon. I mean it." Penny said. She wished she could sit up so that she could kiss him and before she could ask, he pressed his lips against hers. His light beard tickled as they kissed, Penny felt on top of the world despite the fact that she was lying in a hospital bed recovering from a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Sheldon pulled away and she was suddenly full of questions.

"So what happened?" She asked. Sheldon looked like he didn't want to recall the events that took place, but she knew his eidetic memory wouldn't allow that to happen. He let out a sigh and sat back in his chair. He took a sip of his less-than-hot coffee and rubbed at his temple.

"When we arrived here, they told me that you needed to have surgery right away as a bullet fragment had nicked your brachial artery, which is the major artery in your upper arm and that if they didn't take action immediately, you would have bled out." He stated trying to devoid his voice of its Texas twang. Penny felt like she suddenly couldn't breathe. If she had bled out, she would have died. A cold chill ran down her spine.

"While you were in surgery, they also repaired your clavicle, which shattered. They inserted titanium pins into your collarbone to repair the damage. They took out the remaining bullet fragments and completed the surgery. It took six and a half hours to finish. You've been coming in and out of consciousness for the past two days." Sheldon finished, avoiding her eyes as he spoke. Penny swallowed and nodded her head. She looked at her left arm again. It was comfortably resting in a sling, she was sure that it was swollen beyond recognition. She didn't even want to think about the scar. She let out a sigh.

"What happened to the guy that… shot me? Did they catch him?" Penny hesitantly asked. This seemed to brighten up Sheldon's mood.

"Surprisingly enough, yes. You see, as he tried to make his escape down the alleyway, he tripped and broke his ankle. It wasn't long before the police caught up with him and took him into their custody." Sheldon said, sounding very pleased. Penny smiled, it actually was pretty good news.

The doctor came in to check on her. After asking how she was feeling and assessing her sutures, he determined that Penny would have to stay the night so they could observe her. If all was well, she was free to go home to recuperate. Penny's dad came back and visited with her and Sheldon. As the day passed and night fell, he decided that Sheldon was more than capable of taking care of his daughter and he left for his hotel room.

The bedside lamp dimly lit her room. The two of them sat together. Sheldon was snuggled up on the chair beside her bed with a fleece blanket covering his lap. It was kind of cute to see a grown man sitting on a small chair like that. They stared at each other and it kind of felt like they were seeing each other for the first time. They were both out in the open and vulnerable. Penny spoke first.

"You prayed for me." She stated. Sheldon smiled.

"I did." He replied. Penny felt emotions overwhelm her.

"Why?" She asked. She didn't know him to be a deeply religious man, but she did see his Christian upbringing come to the surface a few times over the years. He contemplated her question for a moment.

"I wanted to make sure that I exhausted every possible thing I could have done to help you." He explained. Penny nodded.

"Sheldon, you don't have to stay here tonight. I'll be ok." Penny assured him. Sheldon shook his head and stifled a yawn. He tried to get comfortable in the uncomfortable hospital chair.

"While we waited for the ambulance to arrive, you specifically told me that I couldn't leave you. I will honor your request." He said as he closed his eyes. Penny closed her eyes and thought about how lucky she was to have him in her life. He truly was her knight in shining armor.

o.o.o.o.o.o

Morning soon came and the two were packed and ready to go. Penny didn't have many things, it was mostly Sheldon's. He had Amy deliver him an emergency pack on his second night in the hospital, along with a couple of clothing items for Penny. Penny hugged her father goodbye and instead of shaking Sheldon's hand, he hugged him causing him to stand there awkwardly. They walked out to his vehicle and Sheldon assisted her in and buckled her up.

He got into the driver's seat and pulled the car out. As they drove away, Penny rolled the window down and let the breeze wash over her. She closed her eyes and listened to the noise on the street as they drove past. They came to a stop light and Penny heard a familiar noise. She looked over and watched as Sheldon Lee Cooper lit up a cigarette.

Her mouth gaped as she watched him calmly inhale the smoke into his lungs. He exhaled and Penny watched as the smoke disappeared out his open window. Though she was never really into smokers, she couldn't deny that it was insanely sexy. Where did her overgrown six year old go? He was replaced with a man. A man with a brilliant mind, who's brilliant mind thought it would be a good idea to take up smoking.

"Are you smoking?" She quickly asked. Way to state the obvious. She wished she could take her question back.

"Penny, do you really want me to answer that question?" He asked as he continued to smoke. Penny narrowed her eyes at him.

"Ok, _why_ are you smoking, Sheldon?" Penny clarified her question, not bothering to mask the annoyed tone in her voice. Sheldon took one last drag and flicked his cigarette out the window. So now he smoked _and _littered?

"Penny." He started as he popped a mint into his mouth.

"Like you, I have been through a traumatic experience. When I was a child, my mother used to smoke and though it has adverse side effects, it contains nicotine which acts to stimulate the reward center of the brain by releasing dopamine. I was merely reverting back to a childhood comfort mechanism. Also, your father offered them to me." He explained. Penny pressed her lips together.

"Well stop it." She simply said. He looked over at her and she noticed a small twitch that tugged at his lip. He looked back to the road and Penny looked out her window.

"And don't litter." She scolded as she quickly turned toward him. He couldn't help but laugh a little bit. Penny hid her smile by looking out the window again.

The rest of the drive was rather uneventful, they made it back to their apartment building she couldn't wait to just go home. She was relieved when Sheldon told her that Amy was taking care of her cat. They took the elevator, Penny didn't even want to think about taking stairs. The ride up was quiet. Penny held Sheldon's hand as they climbed floor after floor. The elevator doors opened and Penny walked toward her apartment.

"Penny, might I ask where you are going?" Sheldon asked as he unlocked his apartment door. Penny turned around, she felt so tired. She just wanted to sleep for a thousand years.

"I'm tired, Sweetie. Can I just have my keys so I can go home?" Penny asked. She didn't have the will to even come up with something witty or sarcastic. Sheldon calmly walked toward her.

"I would like to make a proposal. You can stay in my apartment on a pro-tem basis while you recover from your injury. Besides.." He said as he took her right hand and led her toward his apartment.

"You will be on heavy painkillers and I have already taken the liberty of having a few items from your apartment moved over to mine to make your stay more comfortable. I would hate for that to have been in vain" He finished as he opened the door and coxaed her inside. Penny was surprised to see her laptop on the coffee table, a throw blanket from her living room was draped over the back of the sofa and her cat, George, was curled up in Sheldon's spot.

This. This was the reason she knew that she had made the right decision in confessing her feelings for him. She knew that he was different. He was the one. She slowly walked toward the couch and sat down beside her cat. She stroked his soft fur and he stretched out his little legs. Penny was glad to see that he was alright.

Sheldon walked into the kitchen after setting their things by the end of the couch. He retrieved a bottle of water from the fridge and brought it over to Penny. He set it on the coffee table, moved her cat to the white armchair beside the sofa and motioned for her to take his spot. Penny sat there unsure what to do. Maybe she was already as high as a kite and had hallucinated his gesture.

"Penny, please move over. I don't want to ask you again." He said. Penny was surprised at his take charge attitude. He wasn't mean, he was just firm. She followed his orders and slid over to his spot. Sheldon, pleased with himself, sat down in _her_ spot on the middle cushion, took her medication from his pocket, dispensed two painkillers in his hand and uncapped her water.

"Here." He said as he offered her the pills and bottle of water. Penny smiled at him as she graciously took them from his grasp. She took the pills and washed them down with a few big gulps of water. They sat together on the couch and watched a show of Penny's choosing. After about a half hour, she was beginning to feel groggy and was talking a little bit nonsensical. Sheldon decided that it was time to put her to bed.

He helped her up, making sure to not bump her arm. He helped her walk to his bedroom, his arm was steady as he held her around the waist. She leaned against him as he opened the door to his bedroom and flicked on the light. His sanctuary had been transformed into a candy colored haven for Penny. He had replaced his bed spread with hers. Penny grinned as he moved her toward his bed. He gently sat her down on the bed and turned down the covers for her.

"Sheldon!" Penny cried as she took in his offering. Her voice was high and pitchy, she didn't care. He totally took her by surprise. He helped her back up and got her settled in his bed.

"I love it so much!" She exclaimed as she pressed her head into the brightly colored pillows. Sheldon sat down beside her and pushed her bangs out of her face. Penny laced her fingers into his and looked up into his face. This reminded her of the time she fell in her shower, but sweeter.

"I'm glad that you love it." Sheldon said. He kissed her on the forehead and stood up. He tucked her in and walked toward the door.

"Babe?" Penny called out. She covered her mouth. That totally slipped out. She blushed. He turned around and he searched her face with his eyes. Shit. That was totally a strike.

"Yeah?" He asked. Penny grinned.

"I love you." She warmly said. He smiled at her. It might have been the drugs, but Penny felt warm all over.

"I love you too. Sweet dreams." He said, letting his accent slip. He turned out the lights and left her alone in his bed. Penny snuggled into the mattress, her cat hopped up on the bed and cuddled beside her. Penny fell asleep quickly, it wasn't hard since she was hopped up on painkillers. It was also easy because Sheldon was so good at making her feel safe. Despite having a rough couple of days, her dreams were pleasant.


	18. Chapter 18

**Again, thank you all for your continued support. **

**Enjoy!**

The alarm clock that was blaring on Sheldon's side of the bed jolted Penny awake from her drug-induced slumber. Sheldon awoke and quickly stifled the alarm. Penny rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and watched him as he got up to get ready for the day. Her shoulder was a little bit achy, but it felt quite a bit better than it had the day before. She laid back into the pillows and fell back to sleep.

It wasn't until the smell of coffee invaded her senses that she chose to physically get up. Penny sat up, tried to adjust her t-shirt that had twisted around her body during the night and found the strength to stand up. She yawned as she walked down the hallway toward the smell of the coffee. When she walked into the kitchen she saw Sheldon sitting there in his pajamas, with a cup of tea, solving Sudoku puzzles in a matter of minutes.

He had shaven his face and was again the overgrown six year old that she had come to know and love. Her arm still sat comfortably in her sling, Penny used her good hand to grab a coffee mug from the cupboard and poured herself a hot cup of coffee with a little bit of milk. She leaned against the island and sipped her milky beverage.

"Aren't you supposed to be at work?" Penny asked as she looked at his puzzle. She couldn't even begin to think about trying to solve something like that. Sheldon looked up into her eyes and smiled.

"I was able to take vacation days for the remainder of the week. I told you that I would be taking care of you Penny." He reminded her as he returned to his puzzle. Penny watched as he scratched the last remaining numbers into the little boxes on the page. He quickly moved to the next one and completed it in under a minute.

"Why are you doing those? They don't seem to be all that challenging. Well, challenging for you." Penny asked and she walked around the island and sat beside him on one of the barstools that was tucked away under the counter. He looked up at her and smiled.

"It's very akin to when you watch the Kid's Week on Jeopardy." He reasoned with a slight raise of his eyebrows. Penny scrunched up her nose at his jab at her and buried her face into her coffee mug. Penny finished off her hot beverage and put her mug into the sink. She turned around and placed her palm against the cool countertop, studying her boyfriend. He took a small sip of his Earl Grey tea and penciled in a few numbers into his puzzle.

"So, what are we doing today if you aren't going to work?" Penny asked. Sheldon looked back up at her. He closed his little Sudoku book and offered her a smile.

"Just because I am not going _in_ to work, does not mean that I will not be working today." He told her. Penny nodded and turned on her heel.

"I'm going to take a shower." She called out behind her as she padded off toward the bathroom.

She quickly shut the door behind her and began undressing. She took off her pants, sort of folded them, and placed them on the lid of the toilet. She took off her sling and placed it on top of her sweat pants. Now for the challenging part. She could do this. She managed with a dislocated shoulder before, this was no different, really. She took her time taking off her shirt and placed it along with her other clothing items. She walked toward the shower and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror for the first time since the incident.

The scar on her shoulder was still a dark red color. It stretched from just below her shoulder on her arm, curving in toward her collarbone. It stopped about mid-collar bone. Her breath hitched in her throat. She took her fingertips and gently pressed them against her collar bone in an attempt to feel the titanium pins that kept her bones together. A tear rolled down her cheek as she gently ran her fingers along her long, hideous stitched up scar. The skin around the scar was tight and her rough stitches stood out against the softness of her skin. As she continued to examine the aftermath, she heard a small knock on the door. She jumped at the sound and quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Penny, is everything alright in there? You've been occupying the bathroom for ten minutes and you haven't turned the shower on yet." Sheldon said to her through the door.

"I'm alright Sheldon." Penny called back. She wished she didn't sound like she was just crying. Sheldon cautiously opened the door and peered inside. He caught her looking at herself in the mirror. He came into the bathroom and quietly closed the door behind him.

He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her naked waist. He watched her as she stared at her wound. Tears shone in her eyes and she couldn't help but let them flow freely. He pressed his lips against her shoulder just above the stitches and Penny tried to push him away. He hugged her tighter and placed small kisses against her damp cheek. Penny avoided his eyes in the mirror.

"Please don't." She whispered through her sadness. Sheldon kissed her shoulder again and gently coaxed her to turn around. Penny attempted to cover her naked breasts, but it hurt to cross her arms so she half covered them with her good arm. Sheldon placed his hands on her biceps and caught her gaze.

"I love you Penny." He stated. She looked away, not wanting him to see her cry. She sniffled and bit at her top lip.

"It's ugly." Penny told him in a small voice. He pulled her in close and hugged her against his body.

"It's not. Penny, you're beautiful." He assured her. She half laughed half sobbed and wiped at her eyes.

"You have to say that. You're my boyfriend." She countered. Sheldon shook his head and assisted her into the shower. Penny reluctantly turned on the taps and jiggled the shower switch. The water flowed from the shower head and enveloped her body in its warmth. She stood there for a moment before she picked up the bar of soap.

Sheldon pulled back the shower curtain and stepped inside the shower. Penny turned around and took him in. He really was a very attractive man. Penny let her eyes wander further south, they flitted from ridges of his hardened nipples to the soft hair that would normally disappear into his pants. She moved closer to him and placed her arms around his waist, making sure she was careful with her left shoulder. Sheldon wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Water flowed between their bodies and Penny could feel his interest piquing, whether it was intentional or not.

She looked up into his face and all she could see was love and admiration for her, it made her smile. Penny stood on her tip toes and pressed her lips against his. She kissed him slowly, parting her lips to grant him access to her tongue. His tongue ran gently against hers while Penny brought up her right arm and worked her fingers through his hair. Sheldon's hands moved down her body, settling on her ass. He gently pulled her against his arousal, causing her to moan softly. Sheldon turned off the shower as he placed kisses along her sternum.

"Penny, we should move this to the bedroom. I can't even begin to tell you how hazardous it is to engage in intercourse while in the shower, even if there are adhesive ducks lining the tub." He said as he buried his face into her breasts. Penny held the back of his head as he sucked on her nipples. Sheldon removed his head from between her breasts and he stepped out of the shower, assisting Penny out as well. They dried off and made their way to his bedroom.

Penny laid on the mattress and Sheldon was quick to move in between her legs. His hands slowly ran up her thighs and Penny wrapped her legs around his slender waist. He softly kissed at her neck, slowly moving toward her scar. His lips lightly touched her skin and Penny shuddered.

"Sheldon." She quietly warned. Her voice was breathy and soft. Sheldon continued his kisses.

"Penny." He replied in a teasing tone against her soft skin as he moved his kisses toward her breasts. He pressed his hardness against her slick center and slowly entered her. Penny gasped and he was quick to place his lips against hers. Their sex was slow and controlled. Steady and deep. Sheldon moved his mouth against hers as he rocked himself in and out of her. He took her right hand into his left and held it above her head.

Penny placed her left hand against his ribs and lightly scratched at his porcelain skin. He moaned into her mouth as he drove himself into her. Penny pressed her head against the mattress, allowing his mouth to suck at her breasts. She closed her eyes and focused on the feeling of him inside of her. He cautiously picked up the pace and Penny offered her moans of approval. His thrusts were deep and he twisted his hips when he pulled out of her, causing his tip to tease her g-spot.

"I love you so much." Sheldon said against her neck. Penny could feel her climax building. It was prickling just below the surface, begging to be released. Penny noted the way he kissed her, how soft and sensual his touches were and how he throbbed against her sensitive walls. Sheldon held her against his deeply buried member, he worked his hips in small circles, which sent Penny over the edge.

Penny cried out as her orgasm crashed over her. Sheldon wasn't close behind, he thrust twice more and pulled out before he came into her, instead he came into his hand. After he caught his breath, he got up and left for the bathroom. She heard the sink taps turn on as she laid in his bed trying to catch her breath. Sheldon was quick to return to her.

Penny glanced at the alarm clock, it was nine in the morning. That was a positively good way to start her day. She sat up in his bed and watched him as he picked out his outfit for the day. Penny smirked at him. She stood up and pinched his bum as she walked past him. Sheldon yelped and spun around, shooting a look of disapproval at Penny.

"You interrupted my shower. Now I am going to _really _shower this time.' She said as she disappeared through his door and briskly walked toward the bathroom. She quickly showered, keeping in mind her Doctor's advice not to saturate her sutures in the water. Penny changed into her comfortable t-shirt, sweat pant combo, put her arm back in the sling to rest her shoulder and made her way into the living room.

Sheldon was dressed, he wore his red Kablaam t-shirt over a black thermal with a pair of khakis. He stood in front of his white board, scribbling down numbers into a formula that Penny would never understand. She sat down on the couch and watched him while he silently worked out his problem. This seemed to unnerve him.

"Penny, you're staring at me." He said, not turning away from his white board.

"So?" She replied. Sheldon huffed and turned around to face her. He capped his blue marker and crossed his arms over his broad chest. Penny rolled her eyes and grabbed the remote. Sheldon quickly interrupted her.

"Why don't you occupy your time by going over the documents on the coffee table?" He asked while motioning to the manila envelope that sat on top of her bubble gum pink laptop. Penny sighed, tossing the remote onto the coffee table and picking up the remote. She sunk into the couch and pulled the papers out of the envelope and began sifting through the package. He had provided her with an ID card, lapel pin, and a temporary house guest agreement. Penny frowned. Why was he giving her all of these things now?

"Sheldon, what is all of this stuff?" Penny asked. Sheldon capped his marker and turned around. He clasped his hands behind his back and looked her over.

"It's a temporary house guest agreement. Since you are going to be staying a while, I wanted to ensure that there were some ground rules set." He explained. Penny gave him a 'are you fucking kidding me' look. She flipped to the middle section of the papers he gave her.

"It says here that I have the right to use one 'pet name*' in our daily conduct." She said as she continued to read.

"Yes, since you're my girlfriend, I think that is acceptable. Do you not agree? You called me 'Babe' last night, are you not settled on that?" He asked. Penny grinned at him.

"If I get to pick, I want to call you Moon Pie." She smugly replied. He licked at his lips and pointed to the paper.

"If you perused the document more carefully, you will see that there is an asterisk by 'pet name'. Typically an asterisk is positioned after a word or phrase and preceding its accompanying footnote in a document. If you look at the foot note, you will find that I have excluded that from your choices." He told her. Penny frowned.

"I don't see why we need a document to give us rules. It was fine last night, it was fine all of the other times I stayed over." Penny argued. Sheldon quickly sat down on the couch beside her.

"Penny, you were under the influence of heavy pain killers last night, I wouldn't want that clouding your judgement before you signed a legally binding document and the other times you stayed over, you left the next day. There was no extended stay, thus not requiring a document outlining day to day conduct." He countered. Penny huffed. Sheldon kissed her forehead and stood back up, turning his attention toward his formulas.

"Just read it over. For now, it can be a draft." He said. Penny flipped back to the front. THE TEMPORARY HOUSE GUEST AGREEMENT. She let out a sigh and flipped the cover page. It was going to be a long morning.


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi all, **

**Sorry for not posting last week, it has been crazy and it will continue to be crazy for the next little while. I know that this may seem a little out of the blue, but the next chapter will be the last one. Thanks again for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting. **_**  
**_

**Enjoy!  
**

**.  
**

**_Article 1: General Terms and Conditions_**

**_Section A: Agreement Parameters_**

_This agreement is constituent on the premise that Sheldon Cooper is caring for and nurturing Penelope Miller back to health. Penelope is to agree to and abide by the rules outlined in this agreement. _

_**Subsection i: Temporary Guests** are to include:_

_a) __Penny Miller_

_**Subsection ii: Pets** are not to be permitted, with the exception of Penelope's feline companion:_

_a) __George (the cat)_

_b) __George (the cat) will be temporarily renamed to either:  
i) Wally West_

_ii) Barry Allen  
iii) Jay Garrick_

**_Section B: Disagreements_**

_**Subsection i: Tie-Breaking** is reserved for Sheldon Cooper. In the event of the tie, Sheldon Cooper will hold the power to break the tie._

Penny looked up from the agreement and watched Sheldon quietly work out his problem on his white board. Her eyes drifted back to his ridiculous agreement, she let out an exasperated sigh and picked up her laptop from the coffee table. Sheldon continued to scratch symbols and numbers into his long equation.

"Penny, I don't hear you reading." He chided, not bothering to turn around. Penny glanced up from her the Google page that she opened up and narrowed her eyes at the back of his head.

"_I don't hear you reading_." She mimicked back, causing him to turn around. Penny and Sheldon stared at each other for a moment before they both turned back to what they were doing. Penny smirked to herself, she liked pushing his buttons sometimes.

After searching around the web for an alternative to a written agreement, Penny gave up. She didn't understand the mumbo-jumbo lawyer-speak that was laid out on the web pages she was visiting and she really didn't feel much like trying to understand it. Penny quietly watched him as he worked. She wondered what he was thinking about while he was trying to solve the mysteries of the universe. Sheldon must have felt her watching him because he turned around to meet her gaze again. Penny smiled up at him from the couch.

"Sheldon, I love you, you know that right?" She sweetly asked. He couldn't help but return her smile. He capped his marker and placed it on the coffee table.

"Of course I do." He replied as he sat on the arm of the sofa. Penny reached her right arm across her body and placed her hand on his thigh.

"I was thinking that we could just have like a verbal agreement." Penny softly said. Sheldon placed his hand on hers, he tried his best to combat the twitch that tugged at the corner of his eye.

"Penny, the premise of a written agreement is to have something solid and concrete that both parties can refer back to if need be. I promise that it will be beneficial to both parties and that it will protect both of our interests." Sheldon explained. Penny looked away from his pale blue eyes and thought about how to counter his stubbornness.

She quickly picked up his agreement, ripped off the cover page and began writing on the back of it with the pen that Sheldon provided for signing purposes. Sheldon made a noise letting Penny know that she had desecrated his document. This made her smile.

_I, Penny Miller agree to be on my best behavior [and at Sheldon's request, my worst ;)] and will do my best to make this experience pleasant for Sheldon Cooper._

She grinned harder and continued to write.

_I also agree to do my best not to upset Sheldon's equilibrium while staying in his home._

_Penelope Miller_

After she jotted down her pledge to him, she signed it off with little hearts. She promptly handed over the paper to Sheldon who took the paper from her without hesitation. He smiled at her attempt at a written agreement and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Sheldon, I promise I'll be good. I pinky swear." Penny said as she thrust her pinky toward Sheldon. Sheldon looked at her hand, utterly confused by her gesture. Penny sighed, grabbed his hand and put it into position. She locked her pinky around his and squeezed it tightly. Sheldon licked at his lips and his eyes darted across her face.

"I'm fairly certain that a pinky swear isn't legally binding." He quickly sputtered out. Penny laughed and moved over to the middle cushion so he could sit beside her on the couch. Penny leaned into him as she pressed her lips against his. He let go of her finger and moved his hand into her hair. Penny sighed into their kiss as he gently massaged her scalp.

Penny's phone vibrated on the coffee table, causing their moment to shatter around them. Penny pulled away from Sheldon and picked up her phone. It was Nina. Shit. It had been a long time since she had spoken to her. The last time Penny has even considered talking to her agent, she was sure that bad news was going to be delivered, so she didn't bother returning her phone call.

"I have to take this, sorry Babe." Penny said as she answered the call. Sheldon stood up and tried to go back to work.

"Hello?" She hesitantly asked as she stared at the coffee table.

"Penny! Oh god! I'm so glad you picked up! I thought you fell off the face of the Earth or something!" Nina excitedly replied. Penny softly laughed and was glad that Sheldon didn't hear her say that, because he would be explaining to her why that was impossible for days.

"Hey Nina, what's up?" Penny asked, wanting to get it over with quickly. Like a Band-Aid, just rip it off.

"Well I tried to reach you a little while ago, but you didn't return my call." Nina began.

"Yeah I'm sorry about that, I was sort of in an accident and I was in the hospital for a little while. I really meant to call you back." Penny said, interrupting her agent. She looked over at Sheldon who was intently focused on her side of the conversation.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry to hear that." She quickly said, attempting to sympathize with Penny.

"It's fine. I'm fine." Penny quickly said averting her gaze from Sheldon's curious eyes. Nina let out a sigh. Penny wasn't sure if it was because she was relieved to hear that Penny was ok, or if it was because she still had bad news to tell her, or if it was because this conversation was already dragging on too long.

"Penny, the reason I was calling was because the Executives loved your show, they want to put it on the air!" Nina excitedly told her, Penny sat straight up on the couch, her shoulder stung a bit but she didn't care.

"They do want to take over the project though, it's been quite a while since they have heard from you and they already have plans for the entire season. The good news is you will be paid royalties for every new show that goes out." Nina explained. Penny knew there was bound to be some bad news. But as the creator, they had to have her permission to move forward, otherwise she could potentially go after them for copyright infringement. Penny took in a deep breath and looked up at Sheldon. What would he do? He would get paid. Penny smiled at him, causing him to smile back.

"I want to be paid royalties for every new episode in every new season produced, I want to be credited as the creator, and I want to be paid royalties when and if the show goes to syndication." Penny replied.

"I'm sure that I can make that happen." Nina quickly said. Penny grinned.

"I'm glad." Penny replied. Nina told her that she would let her know what they think of the deal, Penny told Nina that she would be sure to answer when she called. They said their goodbyes and Penny shot up off of the couch, almost immediately regretting her decision to do so. She didn't care, she brushed off her stinging shoulder and wrapped her sling free arms around Sheldon. He hesitantly patted her right shoulder blade before she stepped back.

"I'm going to have a show on TV!" Penny squealed. She stood up on her tiptoes and planted a firm kiss on his lips. Sheldon pulled her in close, getting wrapped up in her excitement. Penny pulled away and flopped back down on the couch.

"That is quite exciting, Penny. In an hour when I take my designated lunch break, you can tell me more about it. Now before I get back to work, do you need anything?" Sheldon asked her. Penny grinned and shook her head. Sheldon nodded and picked his marker up from the coffee table and got back into his work. Penny was a firm believer in the theory that when one door closes another opens. And thankfully, someone left this one wide open.

o.o.o.o.o.o

A week after Penny came home from the hospital, Sheldon returned to working at work. He told her that she was more than welcome to stay and much to Penny's surprise, she did. Everything she needed was at Sheldon's place, so there was no real need to go over to her apartment. She was also grateful that he took the liberty of paying Penny's rent and utilities while she stayed with him. After all, it was only temporary.

It was Wednesday, which meant that it was new comic book night, but Sheldon told her that he would deviate from his schedule because their friends wanted to visit with her. Penny was feeling much better, her scar was a light pink color and her dissolvable stitches had mostly dissolved. She wasn't wearing her sling, except for at night, she wasn't having crazy dreams and she was finally beginning to feel like herself again. It felt good.

After she stepped out of the shower, she dried herself off and wrapped herself up in her towel. She wiped the condensation off of the bathroom mirror and looked at herself for a few moments, her scar was fading and it no longer made her feel insecure. Penny smiled at herself in the mirror and gently ran her fingers along the line of her scar. When the wound was fresh it reminded her of the horrible situation she had endured, but she no longer felt that way. Instead Penny chose to look at the silver lining. Someone loved her and because of that love, she would make it out of the darkness even more resilient and beautiful than before.

Penny finished getting ready, it wouldn't be long before everyone was here. Penny tidied up Sheldon's apartment while her cat watched from his spot on the couch, which was actually Sheldon's. Penny quickly realized that she only had comfortable, lazy clothes in the drawer that Sheldon had designated for her,she didn't have any 'normal' clothes to change into. Not wanting to look like a slob, she grabbed her key from the bowl and quickly darted across the hall. It felt weird to be unlocking her apartment door. She hadn't been there in what felt like ages.

She crept inside, it felt like she was sneaking into someone else's apartment. Penny realized what she was doing and laughed to herself. She walked into her bedroom, her bed spread was missing, it was still on Sheldon's bed, though now it was a mixture of his sheets with her pillowcases and her comforter. She smirked and quickly changed into a pair of jeans and a cute v-neck t-shirt. She was thankful that she was able to wear a bra that had straps. She quickly made her way back to Sheldon's, feeling slightly out of place in her own apartment.

Soon after changing Sheldon came home from work with their friends in tow, Leonard, Amy, Howard and Bernadette followed her lanky physicist boyfriend into the living room. Leonard set their Thai food on the coffee table and embraced Penny in a hug. His embrace was strong and friendly. Penny hugged him back. She pulled away and was flooded by more hugs from her friends. She even accepted a quick one from Howard. Everyone took their spots as Sheldon grabbed dished for everyone to use. Penny sat in the white armchair beside the sofa and everyone was expectantly looking at her. She let out a sigh.

"I'm fine, let's just talk about this really quick because I'm more interested in what I missed out on." Penny started.

"We were all really worried about you Penny." Leonard started, he sounded sad. Penny pressed her lips together. She did not want to have a Penny Pity Party. She smiled at him and nodded.

"Sorry guys, I changed my mind. I don't want to talk about it. I'm fine, ok?" Penny asked. Everyone nodded. She met Amy's beaming smile.

"I must say, Bestie, you do look radiant." Amy chimed causing Penny to grin. The conversation moved to their wedding date, and Amy asking Penny to be her maid of honor, then it shifted to Bernadette's due date, which was next month. Penny had to admit that for a very small woman Bernadette was carrying her twins very well. Howard mentioned that Raj would be moving back next week from India with his wife. Everyone ate and talked as if nothing had happened and Penny couldn't be more thankful. She didn't want to feel like a victim, she just wanted to feel like Penny.

Conversations turned into the group of friends watching The Avengers on Blu-ray together and Sheldon shushing them when Howard and Leonard would make off-hand comments about Black Widow. Soon the group disbanded and everyone went home. Penny and Sheldon stood in the kitchen washing the dishes in the sink together. He washed and she dried. She couldn't help but chuckle to herself as she continued to compare their opposite natures. He was stubborn, she pushed him out of his comfort zone, he was rigid, she was flexible. She was the yin to his yang and it could never feel more perfect and balanced.


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello all, **

**I have had such a busy week! Now I get to study for finals before I jet set off to Mexico late next week. I really hope that you enjoy the last chapter of this story. I want to just quickly thank everyone fore reading, reviewing, and favouriting. You are all wonderful, and i appreciate each and every one of you.  
**

**I promise that I will be back in the new year, I have another story brewing in the back of my mind. Anyways, happy holidays to you all and I hope you get to spend it with those near and dear to you.  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

The dishes were done, the tea had been poured and the two stood in the kitchen talking. Penny knew that any day she would have to return back to her small one bedroom apartment across the hall. Penny leaned against the counter sipping on her hot minty beverage watching Sheldon talk to her. She wasn't interested in listening to what he was saying, but it was quite amusing watching him say it.

He would occasionally raise his eyebrows after a remark filled with unintended condescension, he would offer her a small smirk when he had crafted a witty comment, and his eyes sparkled when he uttered her name. Sheldon narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brow at her. Penny quickly realized that he must have asked her a question. Shit. Penny quickly nodded her head, hoping that her false agreement would pass off as her paying attention.

"Penny, are you even listening to me?" He insisted. Penny felt the heat flood into her face. She quickly looked into her mug and then back to his expectant face. She let out a small sigh and shook her head.

"I'm sorry Sheldon, I'm distracted." She confessed. Sheldon gripped his mug and cocked his head to the side. His eyes darted across her face and he offered her a quick smile.

"It's forgivable, not totally excusable, but forgivable. Might I ask why you're distracted?" he asked with slight concern. Penny shook her head, she really didn't want to admit it, but she knew better than to hold back.

"I'm just going to miss you." Penny sadly offered. Sheldon gripped at her hands from across the kitchen island. His hands were warm from him grasping his mug just before he reached out and touched her. Penny mirrored his expression and cocked her head to the side with a small smile adorning her lips.

"Why? Are you going somewhere?" Sheldon daftly inquired. Penny let out a small laugh and shook her head. Sheldon's smile grew wider.

"I'm not going anywhere far, I just- I have to go home soon and it sucks. I like being here with you." Penny softly admitted. She took another sip and let the warmth of the tea fill her. It was exactly how she felt when she was with him. Warm and fuzzy all over.

"So don't go." Sheldon plainly interjected. Penny eyed him with disbelief. Did he know what he was saying? She needed to make sure they were on the same page.

"What do you mean, 'don't go'." She quickly stammered, realizing how impatient her question must have seemed. Sheldon rolled his eyes at her. He motioned for her to come closer to him and Penny quickly followed his direction. He sat on the bar stool and she stood in front of him in between his legs. Sheldon scooped up her hands into his and he placed a small kiss on her cheek.

"Penny, as you know, I'm a big fan of homeostasis. I have become quite comfortable sharing my living quarters with you and if you decide to go back to your apartment, I will have to adjust again to a new state of equilibrium. And besides, I'll miss you too." He explained. Penny felt her eyes sting with tears. She held them back and quickly wrapped her arms around his shoulders embracing him in a tight hug. His hands settled on her lower back, just under the hem of her shirt and his fingertips moved in small circles on her soft skin. Penny pulled away and smiled.

"So I can stay?" She quickly asked. Sheldon grinned.

"I'm not going to protest." He told her. Penny bent down enough to quickly kiss him on the lips. It was quite possibly the weirdest way she had been asked to move in, but she wasn't going to let that stop her.

"You know what I like best about you?" Penny quickly asked as she coaxed him to his feet. Sheldon followed her silent directions as he stood in front of her. He raised his eyebrow and held back his smile.

"What's that?" He implored. Penny placed her hand on his chest and slowly ran her finger tips down his long torso. Sheldon watched her hand as it moved across his body.

"Well, for starters, you're slim." She teased. Sheldon seemed confused by her comment, which made her grin.

"And a little bit foxy." She finished with a slight raise of her eyebrows and a smirk splayed across her lips. Sheldon grinned and his eyes lit up.

"Look at you, trying to seduce me with a semi-quote from Doctor Who. You're a vixen, Penelope Miller." Sheldon teased. Penny gently grasped at the hem of his shirt and tugged at him to follower her in the general direction of the bedroom.

"I'll try anything to get you into bed, Doctor." Penny breathed. Sheldon was quick to pull her in for a heated kiss while he guided her down the hallway. Penny sighed and his tongue pushed past her parted lips to explore her mouth. The pair advanced into the bedroom, Sheldon placed Penny on the bed and pulled away from their kiss. Penny watched him as he removed his shirts and tossed them into his laundry hamper. She was quick to follow suit. He knelt on the bed as Penny laid on her back. He slowly inched up her body, his breath was hot against her abdomen. Her head was swimming and she let her arousal rush over her.

"Sheldon." Penny whispered as he cupped her breast in one of his hands. She closed her eyes and breathed softly as he continued. His other hand tugged at her bra, exposing her hardened nipple. Sheldon was quick to take it into his mouth, he gently teased her with his teeth and tongue. Penny gasped as he pressed his hardness against her. She maneuvered herself from underneath him, so that she ended up straddling him. His arousal pulsed underneath her and she softly bit her lower lip at him.

"Sheldon." She softly beckoned. Sheldon looked her over and placed his hands firmly on her hips. Penny smiled as she brushed her hand through his baby soft hair.

"I love you so much. It's not just this, it's everything. You're smart and funny and you're never afraid to just be you. I love that about you." She told him. He smiled up at her as he ran his fingertips across her abdomen.

"Penny, you don't need to butter me up, you've already got me into bed." He joked. Penny smiled. She leaned into him and softly kissed him. His hands traveled across her skin toward her lower back. Penny pulled away and looked into his blue eyes.

"I'm serious." She argued. Sheldon quickly pressed his lips against hers and worked his way back on top of her. He brushed her bangs out of her face and pressed the tip of his nose against hers.

"I know." He said with a quick kiss.

"I love you too." He finished. Penny smiled and the two continued exploring each other. They took their time with each other and made love like they should have so many years ago. It was unbelievable that she was now living with the man she loved, the man who once never dared to share his spot, his space, his heart. They both fell asleep in each other's arms, their limbs still semi tangled together. This was a great new adventure that she was embarking on and she couldn't think of a better person to share it with.

o.o.o.o.o.o

Two months passed and Penny was fully immersed in her new life. She lived in apartment 4A with Sheldon and their cat and she was asked to be part of the production on the set of Big Bang. It certainly paid more than the royalty checks and it gave her a creative outlet. Sheldon was still Sheldon and he was still plugging away at his science. He was trying to disprove the people who had strong evidence that they had disproved super symmetry.

It was spring and the weather was getting warmer, but instead of going out they stayed in. They had plans with a very cute and very curious three year old. Penny found herself agreeing to babysitting for Howard and Bernadette for their first night away from their daughter, Noella and their twins, Jackson and Rory since the boys had been born. Penny managed to convince Sheldon to come along with her and luckily when they arrived the twins were already asleep.

The three sat on the couch in Howard and Bernadette's living room together watching an episode of Sponge Bob Square Pants. Noella held onto Penny's hand and stared up at Sheldon who was watching her 'non-sensical' show. Penny watched the three year old's hand reach out to touch his t-shirt.

"What does that mean?" She quietly asked while she poked at the symbol on his shirt. Penny held back a laugh as she continued watching the bizarre encounter. This three year old was about to learn about the real world, Sheldon Cooper style. Sheldon smiled at the little blond girl.

"It's the symbol for Green Lantern." He told her very matter of factly. She looked up into his face and giggled.

She let go of Penny's hand and snuggled up next to Sheldon who then proceeded to tell her about the Green Lanterns and their powers. He spoke to her as if she were a capable adult, answering her questions without condescension when they were asked. It was astonishing. Penny was stunned with how good he was with kids. They continued their conversation for another ten minutes before Noella decided that she was tired.

"Uncle Sheldon, will you tuck me in?" She sleepily asked. He smiled, picked her up and carted her off to bed. Penny silently followed them and watched as he tucked her in, told her that there were no such thing as monsters, however she should be afraid of the failing education system in America, and gently smoothed down her wild curls. Sheldon looked up and caught Penny watching him with a smirk on her face. He said good night to his three year old "niece" and left the door open just a crack for her. Penny grasped his hand as they made their way back to the couch.

"Did you ever think that this might be something that you could want?" Penny quietly asked. Sheldon rubbed at the back of her hand and flipped the channel to something more suitable to his tastes.

"No." He replied. Penny felt her heart sink a little bit. She should have known though. It was probably just enough that her managed to accommodate her into his life, never mind kids and a mortgage. Penny nodded and concentrated on the tv. God damned black holes.

"I never thought that this would be something I wanted, but then you showed me how much more life can be when you have people that you care about to share it with." He explained further. Penny felt a grin invade her face. She turned to him and kissed him quickly on the lips. He reached into his pocket and held a ring in his hand.

"Penny, since we are on the subject, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want these kinds of things with you." He said as he pressed the ring onto her finger. Penny felt tears well up in her eyes. She couldn't hold them back.

"Marry me?" He quietly asked as his eyes darted across her face. Penny felt her warm tears splash onto her cheeks as she quickly nodded her head. Sheldon was quick to slip the ring past her knuckle, securing it firmly in place on her fourth finger on her left hand. Penny examined the ring for a moment before pulling him into a tight embrace. She couldn't be happier. Was it fate, was it something better? It didn't matter what it was, it was amazing. Penny quickly kissed him, his lips were soft and inviting.

"I love you." She firmly said as she pulled away. He wiped at her cheeks with his thumbs.

"I love you too, Penny." He replied. This was it, she was about to start a whole new chapter of her life with her Nobel prize winning physicist fiancé. Life had a funny way of working itself out, luckily Penny had a wicked sense of humor.


End file.
